press releases
For Immediate Release: September 19, 2016
Contact: Regina L. Davis, 202-898-9382, rdavis@naruc.org
WASHINGTON—The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) is honored to announce that it will continue to strengthen the capacity of energy regulators around the world under a five-year, $24 million cooperative agreement funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Energy Regulatory Partnership Program aims to support energy regulators in USAID-assisted countries as they work to create enabling environments for investment, protect consumers and ensure just and reasonable rates. The program places particular emphasis on supporting clean energy development, including renewable resources like wind and solar, as well as energy efficiency and demand-side management.
Under the program, NARUC will work in collaboration with USAID and others to provide expertise, practical advice and knowledge to regulators around the world. The program is a follow-on to NARUC’s highly successful Enhancing Sustainable Utility Regulation (ENSURE) program, a USAID-funded cooperative agreement that connected U.S. regulators with their international colleagues to discuss challenges and share best practices.
“Over 17 years and across five continents, NARUC has worked internationally to improve the quality and effectiveness of energy regulation,” said NARUC Executive Director Greg White. “We are proud and honored to continue working with USAID in its mission to improve regulatory capacity in the developing world.”
Working internationally, NARUC uses the talents and expertise of state commissioners and staff from across the country to share lessons learned and build regulatory knowledge with their international counterparts. NARUC provides a 360-degree view to its partners abroad on relevant issues in the hopes of empowering them to drive meaningful change in their countries.
The cooperative agreement to support the Energy Regulatory Partnership Program is the largest NARUC has ever received for its international work, and is NARUC’s first competitive procurement for its international efforts. The program will support Power Africa — the U.S. Government led energy access partnership in sub-Saharan Africa — as well as ongoing efforts in Latin America, Asia and elsewhere. The program also complements NARUC’s ongoing work in Europe and Eurasia under USAID and State Department initiatives in Asia.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of State public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government.
# # # #