Optima Energy Consulting recently concluded an engagement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the newly established Energy Market Development and Regulatory Agency (EMDRA) in Uzbekistan. The technical assistance focused on building capacity in economic regulation, with an emphasis on tariff setting and promoting market efficiencies.
The training covered international best practice in tariff regulation, tradeoffs between revenue recovery and efficiency incentives and the role of the regulator in setting tariffs that emulate competition. One of EMDRA’s main objectives is to promote market efficiencies in the sector. At the same time, the country expects a notable uptake in renewables. A significant part of the training covered bankable, market-compatible support schemes, providing price stability for investment while mitigating market distortions.