TTA was responsible for the preparation of the PNG Off-Grid Regulation for Small Power Systems, a complete regulatory framework covering any off-grid project to be implemented in PNG with a combined capacity under 1MW. The regulation covers, among others: registration and licensing procedures; tariff setting; technical, social, and environmental requirements; service and electricity quality requirements; interconnection procedures; and complaint procedures and dispute resolution mechanisms. TTA also prepared the application and reporting forms, as well as the contract templates.
The regulation was drafted following a very extensive stakeholder engagement structured in three phases. This approach was instrumental in ensuring that the regulation be prepared with a pragmatic mindset and tailored to the needs of PNG.
During the initial phase, TTA conducted one-on-one sessions with the country’s major stakeholders, including government agencies, donors, academia, and the private sector. A total of 15 meetings were conducted in 2020, some of them physically, some virtually, focusing on identifying key sector challenges and regulatory preferences. The results of this initial consultation phase were elaborated into The Guiding Principles. These principles synthesized the main requests and priorities of the sector and became the cornerstones of the future regulation.
In the second phase of stakeholder engagement, the Consultant presented The Guidelines, an extensive document describing in detail the proposed key features of the future PNG Off-Grid Regulation. The purpose of the document was to justify, validate and document the most relevant decisions made in preparation for the regulation. These Guidelines were presented first to Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) by the end of 2020 and then, in early 2021, to the overall sector through focal group discussions, targeting the private sector, academia, government agencies, and donors separately.