The Oman Public Services Regulatory Authority has issued two new regulations aimed at strengthening risk management and ensuring business continuity across the Sultanate’s electricity, water, and sanitation sectors.
The first regulation focuses on risk management and business continuity in the electricity and water sector, while the second addresses risk management and business continuity in the water and sanitation sector.
Together, the measures are designed to enhance the preparedness of licensed service providers and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of vital utilities under a wide range of circumstances, including emergencies, natural disasters, cyber threats, and operational disruptions.
Under the new regulations, all licensees are required to establish an integrated system for risk management and business continuity within six months of the rules coming into force.
The framework must identify potential operational and strategic risks while outlining clear mitigation and recovery strategies to maintain service continuity.
Licensed companies must also develop comprehensive risk response plans, conduct regular simulations and testing exercises, and periodically update their strategies to reflect emerging challenges.
These plans are intended to ensure that essential electricity, water, and sanitation services remain stable even during unforeseen crises.
The regulations further require licensees to submit annual reports to the Authority detailing their risk assessments, the results of emergency exercises, and any updates made to their business continuity strategies. The reporting system is designed to enhance transparency and strengthen regulatory oversight.
Image via ONA | Cropped by GBN
Companies are also obligated to allocate the necessary technical and administrative resources to implement the required frameworks effectively and to fully cooperate with regulatory audits conducted by the Authority.
To enforce compliance, the Authority has introduced strict penalties for violations of the regulations. Administrative fines of up to $1.3 million (500,000 Omani riyals) may be imposed on entities that fail to meet the requirements, with penalties doubled in cases of repeated violations.
The new regulations form part of the Authority’s broader strategy to enhance the sustainability and resilience of Oman’s utility infrastructure.
The Authority noted that the regulations also support the sustainable management of water and sanitation resources while safeguarding the continuity of electricity services in line with national development priorities.
