NATIONAL AND REGIONAL CO-OPERATION

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) was elected as the first chair of the formalised African Forum for Utility Regulators. NERSA was also a founding member of the Regional Electricity Regulators’ Association (RERA) and the South African Utility Regulators’ Association (SAURA), which were launched in September and October 2002, respectively. The NER is the chair of SAURA and chairs one of RERA’s portfolio committees.

The main purpose of RERA is to provide a platform for cooperation between independent electricity regulators within the SADC region. It has three strategic objectives:

  • Capacity building and information sharing: Facilitate electricity regulatory capacity building among members at both national and regional levels through information sharing and skills training.

  • Facilitation of electricity supply industry (ESI) policy, legislation and regulations: Facilitate harmonised ESI policy, legislation and regulations for cross-border trading, focusing on issues concerning access to transmission capacity and cross-border tariffs.

  • Regional regulatory cooperation: Deliberate and make recommendations on issues affecting the economic efficiency of electricity interconnections and electricity trade among members that fall outside national jurisdiction, and exercise such powers as may be conferred on RERA through the SADC Energy Protocol.