Mauritania

Getting Electricity in

Mauritania

Listed below are the procedures, time and cost required for a business to obtain an electricity connection for a newly constructed building.

The information appearing on this page was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 183 economies. The most recent round of data collection for the project was completed in June 2011.

  • Name of Utility: Société Mauritanienne d'Electricité (SOMELEC)
  • City: Nouakchott

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 The client submits application for electricity connection and awaits estimate of connection fees from the Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC)

The client submits an application for electricity connection to the Commercial Section of SOMELEC along with the following documents:
• Location plan
• Occupancy permit
• Copy of Identity Card
• Letter addressed to the Technical Head


Agency: Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC) 		10 calendar days MRO 600.0
* 2 The client obtains external inspection by the Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC)



Agency: Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC) 		1 calendar day MRO 30,000.0
3 The client purchases the material for the external works from a local store or from abroad

The client will need to purchase the entire material needed for the external works except the meter, namely the transformer, cables, accessories for the substation, etc.
The material can be purchased at a local store or imported.


Agency: Store 		35 calendar days no charge
4 The client obtains external works from the Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC)

The works consist of either connecting to an existing transformer or installing a private substation. In the area assumed, for the capacity and distance of this case, the best option would be to install a substation.
The client will buy and pay for the material necessary to build the substation. SOMELEC will install the substation and connects it to the network. SOMELEC can also sub-contract the external works to a private firm. In some instances where the client purchases the material, they can hire a private firm for the works instead of SOMELEC (in the case where the client prefers to wait for the utility to buy the material they cannot hire another agency for the works).
In order to carry out the works, SOMELEC will need to obtain an excavation permit from the Urban Authority of Nouakchott (‘Communauté Urbaine de Nouakchott (CUN)’). All fees charged for the permit will be included in the estimate of fees and charged by SOMELEC to the client.


Agency: Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC) 		23 calendar days MRO 21,631,666.5
5 The client obtains meter installation and final connection by the Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC)

After the external works have been completed, SOMELEC will install the meter and connect the building to electricity.
Connection fees amount to MRO 90,000 and meter (price of the) to MRO 78,000.
In addition, the customer will need to pay a security deposit equivalent to: ? The deposit can be paid only in cash or certified check.


Agency: Société Mauritanienne d’Electricité (SOMELEC) 		7 calendar days MRO 168,000.0
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.
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