Projects in Azerbaijan

At various points in time, I have worked on three projects in Azerbaijan, each quite different from the other. They included: (i) a role as electricity tariff specialist in an Energy Regulatory Framework Study funded by the World Bank; (ii) Team Leader in a power distribution system planning study in preparation for a loan from the ADB as well as a follow-up study a few years later; and (iii) economic and financial specialist in work to promote renewable energy technologies in the country, funded by UNDP. They are described below.

Project: Energy Regulatory Framework Study

When: 2003 to 2004

Client: Nexant, Washington, DC, USA

Ultimate clients: World Bank
Ministry of Economic Development, Azerbaijan

As part of the larger project to establish a framework for establishing a regulatory agency for the power and gas sectors of Azerbaijan, I was engaged on the project as electricity tariffs specialist. My tasks included the following:

Development of principles for guiding the formulation of electricity tariffs in Azerbaijan

An analysis and critique of existing electricity tariffs in the country

Proposing a roadmap, timetable and schedule of activities for the development of cost based electricity tariffs in Azerbaijan

Assistance to the World Bank in developing tariff related conditionalities for their loan agreement with the Government of Azerbaijan

Project: Power Distribution Development Investment Program

When: 2009 to 2011

Client: VisionRI, New Delhi, India

Ultimate clients: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Azerenergy

I was Team Leader and Distribution Planning Expert on a project preparatory assistance study for the purpose of availing of a $500 million credit facility available from the ADB for investment in new electricity distribution facilities. I was primarily responsible for leading a team of technical experts in project definition, cost estimation, economic/ financial analysis and due diligence on environmental and social aspects as well as on Government policy matters. The loan never materialized and I went back a few years later to undertake an economic and financial analysis on basically the same project.

Project: Promoting Development of Sustainable Energy in Azerbaijan

When: 2011

Client: United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Baku, Azerbaijan

Ultimate client: State Agency on Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources, Azerbaijan

I was economic and financial specialist in a project to promote the development of renewable energy technologies in the country, including wind, solar and biomass. Specific tasks in my terms of reference included: i) international cost comparisons, ii) estimates of likely costs in Azerbaijan and iii) development of a methodology for assessing economic and financial viability of selected projects, which included, among other sub-tasks, the derivation of feed-in tariffs.