NARUC - Global Regulatory Network

About Us

NARUC International

NARUC is a national non-profit membership organization founded in 1889. Its members include the governmental bodies of the fifty states and the District of Columbia engaged in the regulation of public utilities, as well as a growing number of international associate members. NARUC's mission is to serve the consumer interest by seeking to improve the quality and effectiveness of public utility regulation.

More specifically, NARUC includes within its membership the state officials charged with the duty of regulating electricity, natural gas, telecommunications and water. NARUC also has associate members from federal agencies and over 20 other countries.

Throughout the long history of public utility regulation, NARUC has been the only entity to officially serve and represent the interests of public utility regulation via educational, research, and advocacy programs directed and coordinated by its membership. Several years ago NARUC expanded its outlook beyond the US and now assists public utility regulators around the world in addressing the many new and complex regulatory issues they are facing.

The Global Regulatory Network
In October 2002, NARUC signed a multi-year Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development to create a Global Regulatory Network to encourage information exchange and local capacity building in the area of regulatory commissions. The Global program allows NARUC to promote better understanding of complex regulatory issues faced by public utility regulators in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia.

Regional Association Formation
NARUC has extensive experience in all aspects of regulatory association building. For countries with recently created associations NARUC provides assistance with structure, function, governing principles and procedures, funding issues, technical trainings, website development, systematization of association activities and member involvement. NARUC currently provides support to the Organization of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR). In addition, NARUC coordinates closely with the African Forum of Utility Regulators (AFUR) and the Southern African Regional Electricity Regulators Association (RERA).

Regulatory Issues on the Regional Level
NARUC has worked with countries in Southern and Western Africa to build regional regulatory harmonization. This involved courses on independent power producers (IPPs) and power purchase agreements (PPAs) as well as an in-depth review of regulatory harmonization in the United States and Europe. NARUC has worked with the South African Power Pool (SAPP) on several occasions to promote awareness of the need for better regional cooperation in Africa. As in most regions of the world, regional transmission systems and regional regulatory frameworks are necessary in order to effectively utilize energy resources.

Technical Workshops, Training, and Conferences
NARUC organizes technical meetings, focused workshops and roundtable discussions in the Southern African, West African, Asian, and Caribbean sectors in coordination with regulatory associations, individual commissions, universities, and/or other donors. To date, NARUC has organized and/or provided support for the following activities:

2nd Annual OOCUR Conference: Independent and Transparent Regulation in the Caribbean (Nov. 2004, Montego Bay)
Foundations Course in Utility Regulation in Africa (Aug. 2004, Cape Town)
Power Purchase Agreements/Contracts Workshop and Regional Coordination for West Africa (July 2004, Bamako)
2nd Annual Global Regulatory Network Conference (July 2004, Bamako)
The Role of Administrative Law in Utility Regulation Seminar (June 2004, Nassau)
Independent Power Producers and Power Purchase Contracts: Frontiers in International Experience (May 2004, Cape Town)
1st Annual OOCUR Conference: The Challenge for Utility Regulators in the Caribbean (Sept. 2003, Port of Spain)
Southern Africa Forum for Energy Regulators, Utilities & Stakeholders (June 2003, Windhoek)
1st Annual Global Regulatory Network Conference (June 2003, Windhoek)

Commission Capacity Development
NARUC provides assistance to individual utility regulatory commissions to improve their capacities and ensure true regulatory functions.

Information Exchange
The program's Global Regulatory Network Website emphasizes information exchange opportunities. An e-newsletter updates regulators on sector issues and provide outreach to member regulators, other countries whose regulatory bodies are not yet formalized, USAID, and US Commissions.

Regulatory Expertise
The Commissioners and Staff of NARUC's member state public utility commissions are actively engaged in NARUC's activities around the world. The Commissioners and Staff play an important role by contributing their time and energy to educate and inform regulators from developing countries through a variety of forums, including hosting of visiting foreign delegations, engagement in exchange visits, involvement in Regulatory Partnerships, and participation in technical conferences both in the United States and abroad.

NARUC Affiliates
In addition to active Commissioners and Staff, NARUC can draw upon experts from our affiliated training institutions, targeted for both international and US audiences. NARUC endorses the following affiliates:

National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI) (Ohio State University) http://www.nrri.ohio-state.edu
Camp NARUC and the Institute of Public Utilities (IPU) (Michigan State University) http://www.bus.msu.edu/ipu
Public Utility Research Center (PURC) (University of Florida) http://bear.cba.ufl.edu/centers/purc
NARUC Utility Rate Schools http://learningforlife.fsu.edu/naruc
Center for Public Utilities NARUC Basic Training (New Mexico State University) http://cpu.nmsu.edu

Program Staff
Erin Skootsky, Director of International Programs, NARUC
Jason Czyz, Deputy Director of International Programs, NARUC
Facundo Alberdi, Manager of International Programs, NARUC



Home About Us Search Links Country Profiles:	About Us NARUC International NARUC is a national non-profit membership organization founded in 1889. Its members include the governmental bodies of the fifty states and the District of Columbia engaged in the regulation of public utilities, as well as a growing number of international associate members. NARUC's mission is to serve the consumer interest by seeking to improve the quality and effectiveness of public utility regulation. More specifically, NARUC includes within its membership the state officials charged with the duty of regulating electricity, natural gas, telecommunications and water. NARUC also has associate members from federal agencies and over 20 other countries. Throughout the long history of public utility regulation, NARUC has been the only entity to officially serve and represent the interests of public utility regulation via educational, research, and advocacy programs directed and coordinated by its membership. Several years ago NARUC expanded its outlook beyond the US and now assists public utility regulators around the world in addressing the many new and complex regulatory issues they are facing. The Global Regulatory Network In October 2002, NARUC signed a multi-year Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development to create a Global Regulatory Network to encourage information exchange and local capacity building in the area of regulatory commissions. The Global program allows NARUC to promote better understanding of complex regulatory issues faced by public utility regulators in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. Regional Association Formation NARUC has extensive experience in all aspects of regulatory association building. For countries with recently created associations NARUC provides assistance with structure, function, governing principles and procedures, funding issues, technical trainings, website development, systematization of association activities and member involvement. NARUC currently provides support to the Organization of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR). In addition, NARUC coordinates closely with the African Forum of Utility Regulators (AFUR) and the Southern African Regional Electricity Regulators Association (RERA). Regulatory Issues on the Regional Level NARUC has worked with countries in Southern and Western Africa to build regional regulatory harmonization. This involved courses on independent power producers (IPPs) and power purchase agreements (PPAs) as well as an in-depth review of regulatory harmonization in the United States and Europe. NARUC has worked with the South African Power Pool (SAPP) on several occasions to promote awareness of the need for better regional cooperation in Africa. As in most regions of the world, regional transmission systems and regional regulatory frameworks are necessary in order to effectively utilize energy resources. Technical Workshops, Training, and Conferences NARUC organizes technical meetings, focused workshops and roundtable discussions in the Southern African, West African, Asian, and Caribbean sectors in coordination with regulatory associations, individual commissions, universities, and/or other donors. To date, NARUC has organized and/or provided support for the following activities: 2nd Annual OOCUR Conference: Independent and Transparent Regulation in the Caribbean (Nov. 2004, Montego Bay) Foundations Course in Utility Regulation in Africa (Aug. 2004, Cape Town) Power Purchase Agreements/Contracts Workshop and Regional Coordination for West Africa (July 2004, Bamako) 2nd Annual Global Regulatory Network Conference (July 2004, Bamako) The Role of Administrative Law in Utility Regulation Seminar (June 2004, Nassau) Independent Power Producers and Power Purchase Contracts: Frontiers in International Experience (May 2004, Cape Town) 1st Annual OOCUR Conference: The Challenge for Utility Regulators in the Caribbean (Sept. 2003, Port of Spain) Southern Africa Forum for Energy Regulators, Utilities & Stakeholders (June 2003, Windhoek) 1st Annual Global Regulatory Network Conference (June 2003, Windhoek) Commission Capacity Development NARUC provides assistance to individual utility regulatory commissions to improve their capacities and ensure true regulatory functions. Information Exchange The program's Global Regulatory Network Website emphasizes information exchange opportunities. An e-newsletter updates regulators on sector issues and provide outreach to member regulators, other countries whose regulatory bodies are not yet formalized, USAID, and US Commissions. Regulatory Expertise The Commissioners and Staff of NARUC's member state public utility commissions are actively engaged in NARUC's activities around the world. The Commissioners and Staff play an important role by contributing their time and energy to educate and inform regulators from developing countries through a variety of forums, including hosting of visiting foreign delegations, engagement in exchange visits, involvement in Regulatory Partnerships, and participation in technical conferences both in the United States and abroad. NARUC Affiliates In addition to active Commissioners and Staff, NARUC can draw upon experts from our affiliated training institutions, targeted for both international and US audiences. NARUC endorses the following affiliates: National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI) (Ohio State University) http://www.nrri.ohio-state.edu Camp NARUC and the Institute of Public Utilities (IPU) (Michigan State University) http://www.bus.msu.edu/ipu Public Utility Research Center (PURC) (University of Florida) http://bear.cba.ufl.edu/centers/purc NARUC Utility Rate Schools http://learningforlife.fsu.edu/naruc Center for Public Utilities NARUC Basic Training (New Mexico State University) http://cpu.nmsu.edu Program Staff Erin Skootsky, Director of International Programs, NARUC Jason Czyz, Deputy Director of International Programs, NARUC Facundo Alberdi, Manager of International Programs, NARUC
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