Presentation by New York Energy Administrator Kauffman

Published Date: 2017-11-01, Wednesday

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New York Energy Administrator Kauffman gives presentation to the students of law and engineering at a forum of Kathmandu University School of Law (November 1, 2017)

Mr Richard L. Kauffman, Chairman of Energy and Finance for New York State, USA interacted with the students of Schools of Law and Engineering at Kathmandu University today on the changing scenario of energy development and their implications.

On the occasion, Mr Robert Taylor, who is the Team Leader of USAID-funded Nepal Hydropower Development Project (NHDP) gave a presentation to the students on evolution of the electricity sector.

Mr Taylor emphasized that electricity sector evolution happens the same way everywhere, and there is an evolutionary time line and every country has a spot on it. He pointed out that the time line has a number of phases. This includes concession, nationalization and monopoly, decline and fall, search for new investment, opening the sector through restructuring, reforms and regulation, and maturation and adaptation to new technologies. He gave a picture of where Nepal is on that time line and described how it is moving forward and picking up speed.

Mr Taylor ended his presentation on a high note: "there will never be a more exciting time to be involved with Nepal’s power sector. The students in engineering and law will have a gigantic role to play to help the sector speed up the evolution."

Building on Mr Taylor's presentation, Mr Richard Kauffman gave a presentation on the challenges the State of New York is facing in meeting its renewable energy mandates and how the model will have to change yet again to accommodate renewables in the mix. He spoke about the diverse set of policy actions taken by New York State to remake its energy system, both by altering state-level energy regulatory structure, and by simultaneously providing evolving support for clean energy research, finance, and deployment.

Presently, Mr Kauffman leads New York State’s "Reforming the Energy Vision" (REV) initiative, which has the stated goal of creating "a cleaner, more affordable, more modern and more efficient energy system in New York, through the increased development of distributed energy resources, like rooftop solar, energy efficiency, and battery storage."

The programme was kicked off by Mr Kalyan Shrestha, former chief justice of Nepal with his presentation on the economic implications of judicial reforms in Nepal. He shared his thoughts with the students and faculties on how the recent effort to reform judiciary in Nepal is contributing to efficiency and rule of law in the economic sector.

Mr Kauffman and Mr Taylor also had a brief chat on the occasion with Vice Chancellor Dr Ram Kantha Makaju shrestha, Registrar Professor Bhola Thapa, Dean of School of Science Professor Subodh Sharma, and Dean of School of Engineering Professor Bhupendra Bimal Chhetri.

The programme was facilitated by KUSL Dean Dr Bipin Adhikari and Assistant Professor of Law Mr Shiva Prasad Paudel on behalf of Economic Law and Sub-national Governance Clinic at School of Law.


Category: News
Last Updated Date: 2019-11-11,Monday
Published By: School of Law