World Forum on Energy Regulation 2018 | Annegret Groebel (BNetzA)

In the framework of the 7th World Forum on Energy Regulation (WFER), ICER Women in Energy and FSR teamed up to ‘give a voice’ to women professionals actively contributing to the event. Annegret Groebel is Vice-President at CEER and Head of the International Relations Department at BNetzA, Germany’s multisector regulatory authority. In this podcast, she sheds light on BNetzA’s approach and discusses the main similarities and differences when it comes to a ‘multisector regulation’. Network industries under the supervision of BNetzA share similar cost structures and face the problem of recovering sunk costs. The challenge for regulators is then to assess those costs and ensure an adequate structure and level of the network tariff paid by network users. However, regulators like BNetzA play a role also in ensuring the integrity and transparency of the wholesale markets, as mandated in the EU by REMIT. As a concluding remark, Ms Groebel stresses the importance of looking at the regulatory experience of other countries and other sectors. Knowledge sharing, eagerness to learn and cooperation are essential to avoid mistakes and improve the regulation of the industries under the oversight of NRAs. Check out more podcasts like this one and learn more about the Lights on Women Initiative here: medium.com/lights-on-women/