South-Eastern Europe Electrical System Technical Support Project Regulatory & Tariff Study Tour

MHI hosted all of the staff of the Albanian Regulatory Authority (Tirana, Albania) in Winnipeg, Canada for a 14 day tour in June, 2004.

The objectives of the mission were:

• To provide the participants with an understanding of the concepts related to the regulatory construct using in setting rates, including incentive based rates and price caps;
• To provide advise on Asset Valuation for Tariff setting purposes;
• To provide the participants with an understanding of impacts of deregulation;
• To provide the participants with an appreciation of issues related to customer care measured in terms of reliability, quality of power, price and responsiveness to requests for service, emergencies and restoration of power;
• To provide the participants with exposure to a regulatory hearing and the processes related thereto; and
• To provide the participants with an understanding of the implications of the changing landscape related to electrical supply in South-Eastern Europe.

The 12 member group witnessed rate hearings presented by the Manitoba Hydro Electric Board to the Manitoba Public Utilities Board in response to a general rate application. They also received presentations from electric utility staff of various aspects of the rate application process.