UK training assistance concluded

The personnel of the Spot Market Division (SMD) of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) had just concluded their intensive training and capacity building in preparation for the operation of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). The three-phased Training Assistance (TA) granted by the U.K. government entitled “Capacity Building Assistance for ERC” was intended to enhance the technical capability of the SMD in regulating the WESM. The TA was made possible through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Global Opportunities Fund for Economic Governance.

As an expression of gratitude, the ERC conducted a simple thanksgiving ceremony attended by no less than U.K. Ambassador to the Philippines, Peter Beckingham. ERC Chairman Rodolfo B. Albano, Jr. thanked the Ambassador and the U.K. government, for helping the ERC attain technical competence in the regulation of the WESM and the EA Technology, and consultants Andrew Jackson and John Bennet, for having shared their technical expertise and experience to the SMD staff.

The first phase of the TA conducted in February 2006 was a series of market monitoring discussions involving the experiences of other electricity markets in the evolution and implementation of market monitoring processes around the world. This was followed by the installation of and initial walk through on the NEO software, a powerful data analysis and visualization tool specifically developed to handle complex data from multiple sources in real time. The NEO will serve as the core analysis tool for the ERC. The last phase of the TA was an intensive hands-on training and workshop on the NEO software.

“Again on behalf of the ERC, allow me to thank the U.K. government for the training assistance. The ERC looks forward to further undertakings with U.K. government in the future,” the Chairman concluded.

May 29, 2006