Consultations
- 03 May,2024
URCA 05/2024 – Competition Guidelines
These Competition Guidelines are designed to assist Licensees, and other interested Persons, in understanding how the competition provisions of the Comms Act and the Electricity Act will apply in practice with regards to procedural and substantives aspects and to determine if their conduct complies with these rules.
These Guidelines set out URCA’s position on Competition Law principles but do not legally bind URCA. Whilst it is expected that URCA will follow the principles and approach outlined in these Guidelines, URCA reserves the right to consider other factors not covered in these Guidelines where necessary. URCA will undertake its assessment on a case-by-case basis, with due account being taken of all the facts of the case and the dynamics of competition on the relevant market. Other interested Persons such as the general public or Customers (including consumers such as residential and businesses) may also file complaints to URCA if they were to suspect any anticompetitive conduct. URCA will review and update these Guidelines from time to time to take account of best practice and to reflect developments in legal interpretation and economic thinking. A Full PDF of the document can be found below. URCA 05/2024 - Competition GuidelinesDownloads
ECS 04/2024 Preliminary Determination – Retail Fixed Market Review and Assessment
With this Preliminary Determination, the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (‘URCA’) informs Licensees, other stakeholders, and the public in general of its preliminary economic assessment of the competitive dynamics in the retail fixed service market in The Bahamas. In this consultation paper, URCA sets out its preliminary views and proposals arising from its market reviews of the provisioning of key retail communications services in The Bahamas under section 39(1) of the Communications Act, 2009 (the ‘Comms Act’ or the ‘Act’) and any resulting ex-ante regulatory obligations for SMP operators. The services considered in this market review are as follows: • Retail fixed voice telephony service; • Retail fixed broadband services; and • Retail pay TV services (including cable television services). The full PDF can be found below.URCA 03/2023 – Revision of the Competition Guidelines
The Competition Guidelines set out URCA’s Competition Policy and are intended to assist
Licensees, and other interested persons, in understanding how the competition provisions would
apply in practice with regards to procedural and substantives aspects, and to determine if their
conduct are complying with these rules. They also provide guidance on how a competition
complaint may be submitted.
As part of this review, URCA has taken into account, amongst others, its experience from the
application of the Competition Guidelines to date, as the current state and foreseeable
developments in the ES and ECS, and competition guidelines adopted elsewhere. This is to ensure
that any insights gained from the practical applications of the Guidelines are taken into account
and that the converged Guidelines remain fit for purpose. Additionally, by reviewing competition
guidelines in other jurisdictions that share similar characteristics or with a well-established
Competition Law doctrine, URCA aims to align its Competition Guidelines with international best
practices.
The purpose of this consultation is to: (i) present URCA’s proposed revisions to the Competition
Guidelines; and to (ii) invite feedback from all relevant persons on the proposed revision.
URCA 03/2023 Revision of the Competition Guidelines
The Competition Guidelines set out URCA’s Competition Policy and are intended to assist
Licensees, and other interested persons, in understanding how the competition provisions would
apply in practice with regards to procedural and substantives aspects, and to determine if their
conduct are complying with these rules. They also provide guidance on how a competition
complaint may be submitted.
The purpose of this consultation is to: (i) present URCA’s proposed revisions to the Competition
Guidelines; and to (ii) invite feedback from all relevant persons on the proposed revision.
ES 14/2023 – Guidelines for the Inspection of Licencees in the Electricity Sector
In exercise of the powers and duties conferred upon it by Section 38(3)(c) of the Electricity Act, 2015,
(“the EA”) the Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (“URCA”) hereby issues the following
guidelines. These guidelines may be cited as the “Guidelines for The Inspection of Licensees in the
Electricity Sector” (the “Guidelines”).
URCA is mandated to carry out periodic inspections of licensees to ensure inter alia, compliance with
the EA, other competent legislation, and license conditions governing the operation of the of the
licensee.
URCA proposes that inspections not unduly disrupt the operation of the licensee. Hence, the intent of
the guidelines is to provide clarity on the process and requirements of the various parties involved in
the inspection.
The following sections describe the types of inspections to be carried out and provide further
information on the responsibilities of the licensee to facilitate the inspection.
ES 13/2023 Guidelines for the Inspection of Licencees in the Electricity Sector
The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (“URCA”) hereby issues this Statement of
Results and Final Decision further to its public consultation on Guidelines for the Inspection of
Licencees in the Electricity Sector – ES 08/2023 (“the Consultation Document”), published on 16
November 2023.
The primary purpose of regulatory inspections is to independently provide a high level of
assurance that activities performed by the authorized party comply with the regulatory
requirements and with the conditions specified in the authorizing legislation or licence.
Inspections carried out in furtherance of this objective are typically periodically performed by the
regulatory body (or someone authorized by the body to do so).
This Statement of Results and Final Decision:
i. provides a background and high-level summary of URCA’s proposal to establish a regime
of regulatory inspection of licencees’ facilities.
ii. discusses submissions received to the public consultation on the Guidelines for Inspection
of Licencees in the Electricity Sector, (ES 08/2023),
iii. provides URCA’s response to the submissions made, and
iv. sets out URCA’s Final Decision.
- 21 Dec,2023
ES 12/2023 – Generation Licence
Generation licenceDownloads
- 21 Dec,2023
ES 11/2023 – Generation Licence
The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (‘URCA’) hereby issues this Statement of
Results and Final Decision further to its public consultation on Generation Licences – ES 07/2023
(“the Consultation Document”), published on 06 October 2023.
Any person engaging in the generation of electricity in The Bahamas requires a licence1, unless
exempted by law.2 The role of URCA is the regulation of the Electricity Sector (“ES”) which
includes among other things, developing regulatory measures and issuing licencees.3 URCA
initially established a regime of licence types and exemptions for the ES in 2018 (ES 02/2018).
The Consultation Document (ES 07/2023) proposed to develop and introduce a new type of
licence to address persons engaged primarily in large self-supply, called a Generation Licence.
This Statement of Results and Final Decision;
i. provides a background and high-level summary of URCA’s proposal to establish a
Generation Licence.
ii. discusses submissions received to the public consultation on the Generation Licence, (ES
07/2023) issued on 06 October 2023 (the "Consultation Document”),
iii. provides URCA’s response to the submissions made, and
iv. sets out URCA’s Final Decision.
Downloads
ES 09/2023 Standard for Power Quality and Reliability in Electric Power Systems
The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (“URCA”) is empowered to issue technical
rules and standards to advance the sector policy objectives.
1 This includes, but is not limited to,
standards of service, quality and safety of electricity service and equipment for the protection of
electricity consumers.
2 Electricity suppliers are required to incorporate such standards in their
consumer protection plans.
3
This Statement of Results and Final Decision;
i. provides a background and high-level summary URCA’s proposal concerning the Standard
for Power Quality and Reliability in Electric Power Systems
ii. summarizes the written submissions received to the public consultation on the Standard
for Power Quality and Reliability in Electric Power Systems, (ES 06/2023) issued on 27
September 2023 (the "Consultation Document”),
iii. provides URCA’s analysis of and response to the submissions made, and
iv. sets out URCA’s Final Decision.
ES 10/2023 Standard for Power Quality and Reliability in Electric Power Systems
Standard for Power Quality and Reliability in Electric Power Systems