The objective of the FSR Annual Training on Regulation of Energy Utilities is to provide staff of regulatory authorities, market operators, market monitoring agencies and regulatory divisions of energy companies a comprehensive knowledge of the key energy regulatory principles needed in their professional practice. A successful student will understand the principles of regulation and the regulatory structure of the energy industry through theory and practice. The Annual Training provides different perspectives and experiences on energy regulation on topics such as regulatory models, monopolistic versus competitive activity, wholesale and retail energy markets, electric power transmission, quality of supply, fundamental legal procedures, tariff design and several others.
The Annual Training is divided in three blocks
- Block I is a week-long introductory course in Florence covering in detail the fundamental principles of regulation.
- The training continues with Block II, a seven-month online course during which energy regulatory principles and case studies are studied together in-depth in a well-structured, flexible e-learning environment that features interactive activities, discussions, webinars and individual and group virtual activities.
- The training concludes with Block III, in which the participants return to Florence for a week-long discussion of applied case studies and hands-on individual and group practice. The final day of the Annual Training is represented by a workshop where top industry specialists are invited to discuss with participants a relevant issue for the policy-making and regulatory development of the energy industry.
For complete information about the Annual Training please visit the training’s website.
Block I
Block I: 05 OCT 2015-09 OCT 2015 Monday, October 5, 2015
- Electric power and gas systems: Structure, organization and functioning – Rocío Prieto (CNE)
- Theory and principles of regulation and competition – Pippo Ranci (FSR)
- Models of regulation. Restructuring of the electric power and gas industries. Regulatory institutions –
- Jacques de Jong (Clingendael Institute)
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
- Regulatory economics: Monopolistic activities. Approaches to price control – Rudi Hakvoort (Delft University)
- Regulatory economics: Competitive activities – Rudi Hakvoort
- Quality of service in electricity and gas – Elena Fumagalli (Politecnico di Milano)
- Environmental issues in energy systems – Rudi Hakvoort
- Presentations by course participants
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
- Traditional regulation of energy utilities – Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga (Comillas University & Director of training at the FSR)
- Electricity distribution – Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga
- The electricity transmission network – Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga
- Electricity markets. The wholesale market – Alberto Pototschnig (FSR Adviser, Director of ACER)
- Electricity markets. The retail market – Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga
- Presentations by course participants
Thursday, October 8, 2015
- Gas markets. The wholesale market – Aad Correljé (Clingendael Institute)
- Gas markets. The retail market – Aad Correljé
- Gas networks – Sergio Ascari (FSR Gas Adviser, former regulator at AEEG)
- Tariff design – Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga
- Presentations by course participants
Friday, October 9, 2015
- Legal issues in EU energy regulation – Denis Cagney (Irish Regulatory Commission)
- NRAs and ACER – Ernesto Bonafé (EnergyCharter)
- Presentations by course participants
Block II
Block II: 20 OCT 2015 – 10 MAY 2016
Module 1 |
Electricity and gas systems |
Preliminary reading |
Module 2 |
Theory and principles of regulation |
Preliminary reading |
Module 3 |
Traditional regulation |
Preliminary reading |
Module 4 |
Monopolistic activities |
Rafael Cossent (Comillas) |
20 Oct – 2 Nov 2014 |
Module 5 |
Competitive activities |
Pablo Rodilla (Comillas) |
3-16 Nov 2014 |
Module 6 |
Wholesale electricity markets |
Carlos Batlle (Comillas/MIT/FSR) |
17-30 Nov 2014 |
Module 7 |
Electricity transmission |
Michel Rivier (Comillas) |
1-14 Dec 2014 |
Module 8 |
Gas markets |
Aad Correlje (Clingendael) |
5-18 Jan 2015 |
Module 9 |
Gas networks |
Sergio Ascari (FSR) |
19 Jan – 1 Feb 2015 |
Module 10 |
Electricity distribution |
Javier Reneses (Comillas) |
2-15 Feb 2015 |
Module 11 |
Quality of service |
Elena Fumagalli (Politecnico Milano) |
16 Feb – 1 Mar 2015 |
Module 12 |
Electricity retail markets |
Carlos Batlle (Comillas/MIT) |
3-15 Mar 2015 |
Module 13 |
Tariff design |
Javier Reneses (Comillas) |
16-29 Mar 2015 |
Module 14 |
Regulatory authorities |
Ernesto Bonafé (FSR) |
30 Mar – 12Apr 2015 |
Module 15 |
Environmental regulation |
Rudi Hakvoort (Delft) |
13 Apr – 10 May 2015 |
How it works
- Each module is explained in a syllabus, which includes selected bibliography and self-assessment tests.
- The modules are studied during two weeks. Each course participant has to prepare short basic questions by the end of the first week, and submit a case study on a major issue by the end of the second week.
- Throughout the two weeks, all course participants are involved in forum discussions proposed by themselves and the instructor.
- Course participants need to devote an average of 15 hours per module, which can change according to the previous knowledge on the topics.
- The module instructors are available to clarify questions and provide all necessary information. The instructors supervise, encourage and assess all the work submitted by the course participants.
- The website www.elearning-fsr.net is the user-friendly platform where the training takes place.
Block III
Block III: 06 JUN 2016-10 JUN 2016 Block III of the FSR Residential and E-learning course on Regulation of Energy Utilities is the second residential part of the course. Block III comprises:
- Four-days of residential sessions, devoted to the discussion of case studies and the presentation of some other topics of specific interest to the course participants, and
- a final one-day workshop on energy and sustainability, including the closure of the course with delivery of diplomas to participants.