Shura Council to discuss renewable energy, work permits, and new dismissal rules today

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Three items will be discussed by the Shura Council today: a renewable energy bill, a proposed grace period for work-permit renewals, and new rules on economic dismissals.

Members are expected to examine the three draft laws along with their accompanying committee reports, reviewing the details and recommendations for each proposal.

The Council will discuss the report of the Public Utilities and Environment Committee on the draft law proposal concerning renewable energy, submitted by members Talal Al Mannai, Dalal Al Zayed, Dr Mohammed Ali Hassan, Jumaa Al Kaabi and Ali Abdullah Al Aradi.

Recommendation

The report carries the committee’s recommendation that the proposal, in the form of a law, should be taken up for consideration.

According to the committee, the proposal aims to support Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 by creating an inviting setting for investment in renewable energy and keeping pace with the global shift towards clean power.

It seeks to put in place a comprehensive legal framework for the renewable energy sector that shows the strong attention the Kingdom of Bahrain gives to this growing field.

Burden

The draft also aims to ease the burden of electricity consumption on citizens and other users in their homes and businesses, reduce pressure on the electricity grid and secure savings in the budget of the Ministry of Electricity and Water.

The committee said the proposed law is designed to strengthen the Kingdom’s ability to develop renewable and sustainable energy resources by encouraging the production of clean energy, coupled with a reduction in power generated from traditional sources based on fossil fuels.

It added that the measure supports Bahrain’s path towards carbon neutrality and its targets for cutting carbon emissions, and forms part of the steps taken to face environmental challenges shared by countries around the world and to keep meeting international environmental obligations.

In its report, the committee noted that the proposal in the form of a law gives shape to the lofty Royal vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, as set out in his directives during the opening of the fourth ordinary session of the sixth legislative term.

In that address, HM the King stressed the importance of focused investment in renewable energy in order to reach the level of self-reliance needed to protect and grow the Kingdom’s resources, and to support the continuity of the natural and agricultural environment.

The committee explained that the proposal requires any person wishing to connect an electricity-generation unit from renewable energy sources to the distribution system to obtain prior approval from the Authority, in line with rules laid down by a decision of the minister.

Connection

The aim is to ensure that each connection meets technical requirements that do not harm the distribution system, to keep the distribution network running smoothly and to avoid technical faults that might arise from connections made without regard to engineering standards.

In the same sitting, the Council will look at the report of the Services Committee on a draft law amending Article (26) of Law No. (19) of 2006 on the Regulation of the Labour Market, prepared in the light of a bill proposed by Parliament.

The committee recommends not approving, in principle, the draft law, which would give an employer extra time to renew a work permit so that the penalty in Article (36) of the law is not imposed as soon as the permit expires.