Neil Chatterjee, Commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), this week signed a memorandum of understanding between FERC and the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) of India to share regulatory experiences and practices.
Chatterjee and Pradeep Kumar Pujari, chairperson of CERC, signed the MOU during a video conference from their offices in Washington, D.C., and New Delhi, India.
The agreement covers an array of issues ranging from development and oversight of power markets and related issues to regulatory initiatives for facilitating investment in the power sector, integrating renewable energy into the electric grid, transmission pricing, grid reliability, technical training and regulatory practices.
This agreement is three years in the making, involving discussions among commissioners and staff from both agencies, and represents the significant steps India has taken to improve the operation, efficiency and reliability of its energy sector, Chatterjee said.
“India has put forth ambitious and impressive goals for its energy sector and it will require significant, and often difficult, changes to how they regulate their power sector. CERC will play a pivotal role as India pursues this transition. We at FERC welcome the opportunities to formally share our experiences and expertise with them as they make these important changes, and to learn new lessons from their experiences.”
Chatterjee noted that building a strong and lasting relationship with India’s regulators has been the cornerstone of FERC’s international portfolio during his tenure.
“India is not only a strong partner to the United States, but also a country with which I share a deep personal connection and a genuine concern and appreciation for its incredible people,” he said.
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