Jamaica’s Office of Utilities Regulation Updates Ambassador

By: Derrick Scott

WASHINGTON, DC – Representatives from Jamaica’s  Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) paid a courtesy call on Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States His Excellency Ambassador Ralph Thomas, giving him a detailed update on the organization’s activities.

The OUR’s representatives, Maurice Charvis, Deputy Director General, Ambassador Peter Black, Secretary to the Office and Yvonne Nicholson Director of Consumer and Public Affairs, were in Washington D.C. attending the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Winter Committee Meetings  from February 15-18, 2016.

Jamaica is an associate member of NARUC which is the national association representing the economic utility regulators in all 50 States, including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

Details of the OUR’s activities, particularly in the energy sector, were outlined to Ambassador Thomas during the visit. Among the project described to the Ambassador was OUR’s recent request for proposals for the provision of new generating capacity from renewable energy sources up to 37 MW (Net) to the national grid.

NARUC’s committees are managed and populated by state public service commissioners, holding educational sessions and panel discussions on relevant issues that best serve NARUC members. The committees also propose resolutions that, if approved by the Board of Directors, set Association policy on Congressional, federal and industry matters.   Along with cybersecurity, panel topics covered high-profile regulatory matters such as the Clean Power Plan, pipeline safety, decarbonization, broadband, natural gas, and transportation issues. Panel participants include state commissioners, subject-matter experts and consumer advocates.

The meetings featured talks from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chair Norman C. Bay, Commissioner Ajit Pai from the Federal Communications Commission and Administrator Marie Therese Dominguez from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.  The federal representatives discussed current rulemakings, priorities within their agencies, and the role of state regulators.

Also among the General Session speakers was USAID Power Africa Deputy Coordinator Sean Jones. Power Africa is a federal interagency effort working to significantly increase access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa. The program works with public and private entities to decrease barriers to energy resources coming online and supports necessary reforms in regulatory and political structures to ensure the long-term viability of energy sectors.

Founded in 1889, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to representing the State public service commissions who regulate the utilities that provide essential services such as energy, telecommunications, water, and transportation.