Project Management for Energy Reform: An Opportunity for Government

Project Management for Energy Reform: An Opportunity for Government

Daniel Potash

– January 30, 2020

Daniel Potash, PMP, is a specialist leader with Deloitte Consulting LLP, based in Tbilisi, Georgia, USA, and serving as chief of party of USAID Energy Program.

Abstract
Project management techniques for energy sector reform should be used more frequently by government. The potential benefits of project management techniques for government projects include:

• Project charters that can clarify reform objectives, and that give focus and purpose;
• Stakeholder engagement that helps bring opposition to the surface so that all views can be heard and incorporated;
• Cost benefit analysis as a great discipline that energy sector reformers should apply prior to championing any one approach; and
• Scope and schedule management that reinforce the need to accomplish critical path items with hard-to-see later impacts (but that inflexibly adhere to outdated scope, which is perhaps more prevalent in the public sector).

This article means to identify the potential benefits and pitfalls of using a project management approach for energy sector reform, concluding that, even in a chaotic environment, a disciplined project management approach can be beneficial. Energy sector reform is a good application for a project management approach because it can help establish and refine a common vision, identify drivers and obstacles, and, perhaps most importantly, effectively manage stakeholder engagement.

Introduction
Nearly all countries around the world are facing significant energy sector challenges, including: climate change, environmental …

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Published at Thu, 30 Jan 2020 05:00:00 +0000