PURC signs agreement with Maryland PSC

Accra (Greater Accra) - The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has signed a regulatory partnership agreement with the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Maryland, USA, under which the American Commission will transfer its experience in market-based energy production, transmission, distribution and regulation to the Ghanaian body.

The agreement signed in Washington will also enable both parties to share ideas and exchange programmes that will provide a mechanism for the US energy industry to transfer other experience to the PURC.

A statement issued in Accra on Thursday said Mr Stephen N. Adu, Commissioner and Executive Secretary of PURC and Mr Claude Ligon, Commissioner of PSC signed the agreement.

Mr R. B. W. Hesse, Commissioner, PURC and Dr Samuel Schweitzer, Officer of Energy, Environment and Technology, US Agency for International Development and Mr Sam Afrifa-Kyei, Minister in charge of Consular and Welfare of the Ghana Embassy witnessed it.

The statement said the partnership is part of an elaborate programme established by the US Energy Association for long-term co-operative relations between the US and foreign regulatory agencies in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Energy, Environment and Technology is funding it.

The statement quoted Mr Adu as saying at the ceremony that Ghana is the first African country to undertake a vigorous restructuring programme to ensure fair pricing and provision of good services in the energy sector.

He said the PURC is in the process of instituting measures to protect the interest of consumers through capacity building and learning from the PSC.