Istanbul to host global energy regulation forum

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

The sixth World Forum on Energy Regulation will gather energy regulators from all around the world in Istanbul later this year, Alberto Pototschnig, director of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, said Jan. 28.

Organized by Turkey’s energy regulatory authority, EMRA, the forum will begin in Istanbul on May 25.   
The four-day forum aims to develop a common approach to energy regulation by bringing together developed and developing countries to discuss issues and experiences of common interest.

“The forum will be an opportunity to compare energy regulations on a global scale,” Pototschnig told Anadolu Agency. “We all have similar problems and have different solutions.”  
    
Ibrahima Thiam, the president of Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority for Economic Community of West African States, said the World Forum on Energy Regulation, WFER, holds great importance for global energy regulators.

Underlining that independent energy regulation is crucial for Africa’s energy security, Thiam said $40 billion to 45 billion of investment is required every year for Africa’s electricity sector.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to make the opening speech at the event. There will be 24 sessions, including six general and two special sessions. At the first session, there will be a discussion about the energy policies of developed countries, in addition to access to energy resources, which is part of Turkey’s G-20 energy agenda.