Fundamentals of Energy and Utility Regulations

The Fundamentals of Energy and Utility Regulations training course provides an insight to the wide range of issues necessary for professionals in any energy regulatory environment. The training course offers a comprehensive, unbiased overview of the world of energy regulation and the fundamental aspects of each energy regulation issue. The training course will consider emerging issues associated with restructured electric energy and capacity markets as well as international practices affecting the natural gas and electric industries. Delegates will gain extensive knowledge of the fundamental principles of the regulation of the energy and utility sectors through theory and practice and will rapidly increase their understanding of taking adequate positions on competition, the integration of markets and networks, quality of service, and security of supply, with the ultimate goal of protecting the interests of consumers and the better integration of market participants into an appropriate energy market.

This Fundamentals of Energy and Utility Regulations training course will highlight:

• Fundamentals of energy regulation
• The development of energy tariffs and legal framework
• Aspects and steps of managing the transition to energy market competition
• Electricity sector reforming and pricing environmental pollution
• Dispute resolutions in a regulated market

The Fundamentals of Energy and Utility Regulations training course will provide the participants a perfect opportunity to advance and sharpen their skill sets in understanding the energy and utility regulation and basics of how to regulate the commercial and legal activities of energy and/or enterprises through an interactive session with role-playing, case studies, group discussions, and scenarios building of negotiation with an energy regulator involving interactive role play by the participants.

The Fundamentals of Energy and Utility Regulations training course is specifically designed for professionals actively involved, or likely to be involved, in the regulatory aspect of the energy and utility markets and all those who need an understanding of the role of regulator in the energy sector, including issues around negotiations and dispute resolutions.

This Fundamentals of Energy and Utility Regulations training course is suitable for a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• Senior government officials and energy regulators
• Power and natural gas market planners
• Utility managers
• Transmission and distribution system operators
• Commercial lawyers and consultants
• Strategy & project managers
• Senior and middle-level commercial managers

Day 1: Background to Energy and Utility Regulation Framework

• Background to the energy and utility markets

• Structure used in regulating the energy and utility market

• Definition of regulation and why regulate?

• What can be regulated?

• Competition, integration, ownerships and system development

• Who regulates and the types of energy and utility regulation?

• The legal framework and energy/utility contracting

• Mandatory elements of a legally enforceable contract 

Day 2: The Legal Framework of Energy and Utility Contracts & Negotiations

• Energy and utility contracting

• Contract formation, terms and conditions, and interpretation of contract terms

• Assessing available remedies for breach of contract (rescission, compensatory damages

• Consequential and incidental damages, liquidated damages, specific performance, injunctive relief)

• Regulation issues for sustainable generation

• Principles of energy regulations

• Independence

• Transparency

• Investor and consumer protection

• Energy contract negotiations

• Negotiating techniques and strategies,

• Re-negotiations of energy and utility contracts 

Day 3: The Role of Energy and Utility Regulator

• The need to regulate the energy and utility sector

• The purpose of a regulator

• Setting up an energy regulator

• Building a credible energy regulatory arrangement

• Energy market

• Capacity market

• Electricity sector reforming

Day 4: Energy Market Competition, Tariff, and International Examples

• Regulated environment

• Competitive market environment & solutions

• Imperfect competition

• Evolving market

• Electricity tariff structures

• Natural gas tariff structures

• International examples of energy and utility regulation

• UK’s Ofgem approach to regulation of the energy supply market

• France - electricity and gas markets

• Zambia - energy regulation 

Day 5: Pricing Environmental Pollution & Dispute Resolutions

• Climate change

• Accounting for environmental cost

• Regulated environment

• Evolving market

• Dispute resolutions in a regulated market

• Mediation

• Arbitration

• Expert determination

• Tribunal