Regulation, IRP and DSM: Lessons from three Countries in Transition (United States, Austria and Czech Republic)

Panel: Panel 1: Policy and Programmes - Who can deliver DSM?

Authors:
Michael Bull, Bonneville Power Administration
Herbert Lechner, Energieverwertungsagentur
Jiri Zeman, SEVEn

Abstract

Comparing different countries, this can generally lead to a deeper understanding of the driving common forces of future developments. Three countries, Austria, the Czech Republic and the United States, were chosen to provide concrete examples of the status of the debate over IRP, utility regulation and DSM. The massive political and economic changes in the worId are matched by the march of institutional, technological and market changes confronting the electric utility industry in these countries. Since the ÖVelvet RevolutionË the Czech Republic has been in transition to a market economy. Austria has recently joined the European Union and her energy utilities will be confronted by the competition wtbin the Common Market.

The United States, which has the longest experience in IRP and DSM, has set the course to a more competitive envuonment with bidding, retail wheeling initiatives, and the 1992 Energy Policy Act.
Even though each country is facing quite different circumstances, the authors maintain that the issues and principles involved in this public debate are very similar: What role should the government play in the energy sector generally, how can it contribute to improved energy efficiency and how &II this all be put into a sustainable development strategy. Conclusions are drawn with regard to the likely pace and nature of change in each country and the implications f6r the practical succe