News & Announcements

The reform towards cost-reflective tariffs, based on sound economic principles, is of crucial importance for safeguarding the financial viability of energy utilities and of the electricity sector as a whole, as well as for ensuring that appropriate incentives are in place for attracting necessary investments in the sector. Under this context, VIS along with E3M have been commissioned by NARUC (assignment funded by USAID) to develop a Primer on the impact of electricity tariff reform on investment and economic development that will serve as a basis for a further multiyear project (consisting of several Primers) by NARUC, aimed at creating a tool kit that will complement USAID’s efforts to encourage cost-based tariffs.

Support to ACER for preparation of the gas congestion management report – VIS has been commission by ACER to provide support with preparation of the 8th edition of the Congestion Report at gas Interconnection Points, in line with Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 (amended by Decision of 24/8/2012). The support entailed collection and validation of data on capacity auctions (capacity offers and demand, tariffs, premia), development of an excel-based congestion analysis tool, analysis of congestion data, support ACER with drafting of the Congestion Report.

Support to RAE for the development of a framework for appraising gas distribution development plans – VIS has been commissioned by the Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy (RAE) to provide support in the development of a framework for appraising 5-year Network Development Plans (NDPs) submitted by the Greek gas distribution system operators. The assignment includes development of a template for the submission of the NDPs, the methodology for appraising the constituent investment projects and the process for monitoring the NDPs’ implementation.

VIS participates in a consortium led by Grant Thornton, commissioned by the EBRD to provide support to the Government of North Macedonia in a tender for a strategic investor that will develop the new gas distribution system in the country. The project includes inter alia analysis of the gas distribution systems’ development, structuring of the PPP and support to the Government throughout the competitive dialogue process and negotiations with investors.

VIS is participating, along with Public Power Corporation of Greece (PPC) and DRAXIS, in a consortium led by INTRACOM TELECOM, an Athens-based global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor, in the framework of a sophisticated research program aiming to apply statistical and machine learning techniques on large energy consumption datasets, collected and managed by an end-to-end IoT environment. This way, electricity suppliers will gain better insights into their customers’ energy consumption patterns and will be able to provide more detailed and accurate advice to their customers on how to reduce their energy consumption. This research project is Co‐financed by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH– CREATE - INNOVATE (project code: Τ2ΕΔΚ-04565)

VIS is happy to announce that as part of the Tetra Tech-led effort it will contribute to the newly-awarded, multi-year USAID Power Central Asia Program. The program covers a range of energy sector areas, from market liberalization reforms to planning and scaling up of renewable energy penetration in the region, to regional market development and capacity building. The program involves support to the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - with the aim to promote energy sector modernization and regional cooperation as catalysts for growth.

VIS performs market due diligence of DEPA commercial (incumbent gas supplier of Greece), during the tender process launched by the Greek State on behalf of a private shortlisted investor.

Regulatory and Market Due Diligence for DEPA Infrastructure – VIS is part of an international team performing regulatory and market due diligence of DEPA Infrastructure (state-controlled gas distribution networks of Greece), during the tender process launched by the Greek State.

VIS has been commissioned by NARUC (assignment funded by USAID) to develop a guide (primer) on the treatment of depreciation in the context of regulatory tariff setting. The primer will review and present different methods of estimating depreciation of utilities’ assets as well as of allocating, in a systematic and rational manner, the value of a depreciable asset over its life. The Primer will form the basis for a multiyear project by NARUC to create a tool kit designed for policymakers, regulators and utilities to encourage cost-based tariffs. In the framework of the assignment, VIS will conduct a Case Study of selected Sub-Saharan countries, on how alternative methodological approaches concerning regulatory treatment of depreciation can be evaluated and applied in practice, in a context that is relevant to the Primer’s primary beneficiaries.

VIS & E3 Modelling have successfully completed the development of a long term natural gas forecasting tool for Georgia. The forecasting tool has already been applied in the Georgian market. In December 2019 it was used by GNERC in the process of setting 3-year tariffs for gas distribution systems. The project was commissioned by NARUC and financed by USAID.