ANEEL and ANP promote meetings among regulating bodies

XIV Annual Meeting takes place April 28-30 in Salvador

Salvador (BA) will host this year, April 28-30, the XIV Annual Meeting of the Iberoamerican Association of Energy Regulators, a technical meeting of representatives of relevant energy regulators from 19 countries participating in the Ibero-American Association of Regulators of the Power Sector (ARIA). The Brazilian edition of the event is promoted by the National Energy Agency (ANEEL) and the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), members of the Association. The opening ceremony of the meeting, scheduled for 9am today (04/28) will feature the participation of the President of the ARIE, Maria Teresa Costa i Campi, of the National Energy Commission of Spain, the Director-General of ANEEL, Nelson Hübner and the Director-General of ANP, Haroldo Lima.

The first lecture of the event, on Autonomy, Transparency and Efficiency in the Regulation of Energy, will be presented by consultant José Mario Abdo, director-general of ANEEL for two terms, from 1997 to 2004. Other issues discussed during the event, which will feature four lectures and seven round tables. Among the issues, there is the challenge of making the rate calculation more understandable to consumers, the experiences of regulators in protecting consumers, the recent development of the oil industry, the quality of biofuels, the policy and regulation of natural gas, the integration of electricity and natural gas, renewable energy regulation and control of energy and the environment.

The last day is reserved for the general assembly of ARIAE, in which the meeting minutes of the previous year is approved, they present reports and address other issues such as training projects for technical staff, and the description of the regulatory body that will organize the next meeting in 2011.

The annual meetings held by ARIAE aim to promote exchange of experiences among the various entities of the Association, and allow a closer relationship between the professionals of the countries involved. ANEEL has the second vice presidency of the Association since June 2007 with the appointment of director Edvaldo Santana by the General Assembly of the institution in 2007 at the XI Annual Meeting, held in Madrid (Spain). At that meeting, it was also decided that Brazil would host the event in 2010 with the organization of ANEEL and ANP. < It is the second Brazilian edition of the meeting. The first happened in 2004 in Rio de Janeiro, when the Eighth Meeting happened.

ARIAE – The Iberoamerican Association of Energy Regulators (ARIAE) is a private, international and non-profit organization formed in March 17^th, 2000 in Buenos Aires (Argentina). It assembles energy regulatory bodies from 19 countries of Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela, and the regulator of the Central America market, the Regional Electric Interconnection Commission (CRIE). The association constitutes a forum for communication among specialists and professionals of the entities that include it, in order to promote the exchange of experiences and share knowledge at the level of regulation of the sectors of energy, education and training of personnel at all levels, and exchange among members, besides promoting cooperation in activities of common interest, including in the fields of research and development. The systematic exchange of information and experience is basically founded on the site of the institution, allowing access to information and the Association of Regulators belonging to it (www.ariae.org). ARIAE promotes organization of seminars, forums and training courses that enhance the diffusion of knowledge on energy and the regulator debate, which are compiled in documents or books published for this purpose.