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On 2 November 2012, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) went into a partnership agreement with ECREEE. The objective of this partnership is to collaborate specifically in the policies and regulatory aspects of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RE & EE) in the ECOWAS region.
NARUC, founded in 1889, is the United State association representing the State Public Service Commissioners regulating utility services, namely: energy, water and telecommunications. Through its international program, the association has since 1998 been sharing best practice and information on innovative solutions with energy regulators in parts of Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.
As the focal point institution for the ECOWAS region, ECREEE will serve as the channel by which NARUC’s longstanding expertise in utility regulation would be passed on to Member States. This is evident in the activities planned to be executed through the partnership. These include:
• strengthening national and regional policy, regulatory, legal and institutional frameworks in support of the development of markets by ensuring adequate information exchange of renewable energy issues;
• organizing workshops, seminars and other RE & EE activities;
• supporting regional and national processes relating to reforms or creation of policies, and legal and regulatory frameworks to promote RE and EE markets in the region;
• enhancing capacities of national and regional regulators in support of the regulatory framework of ECOWAS Member States;
• developing regional and national progammes and projects in RE and EE Policy Frameworks;
• exchanging knowledge in the fields of RE & EE;
• cross-linking the two websites: www.naruc.org and www.ecreee.org , and publishing on both websites news of each other’s events.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Ms Bevan Flansburg, Senior Program Officer, International Programs, and Mr. Mahama Kappiah, Executive Director of ECREEE.
Following the approval of the NARUC/USAID 2013 work plan on Clean Energy Technical Assistance in West Africa, it is envisaged that the implementation the aforementioned activities will commence in the first quarter of the year.