Project Manager
María José Rocha Martin
2015 Specialization in Finance Management – ICDA – Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Córdoba – Argentina.
2011 Master’s in Research in Industrial Systems – National School of Engineers of Tarbes (ENIT), Tarbes – France.
2010 Industrial Engineer – National University of Córdoba, Córdoba – Argentina
Biography
María José Rocha is a Project Manager at Quantum, an engineer specializing in Strategic Regulatory and Financial Services. She develops high-value solutions for institutions and organizations associated with Public Services through excellent consulting products and services that help reduce risks, inefficiencies, and costs, while increasing quality and economic and social benefits.
María José has over 12 years of experience in the sector and has actively participated in various projects across sectors such as electric energy, water, and sanitation in several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Cameroon, Mozambique, Vietnam, among others.
Among her developed projects are: regulatory framework definition and/or reform, rate studies and analysis and design of rate structures, cost of capital rate calculation, and projects on energy transition and renewable energies.
In her work on the cost of capital rate, she managed and collaborated on studies to determine the cost of capital rate for the electric and natural gas distribution sectors in Argentina (ENRE – 2016, EDESTE – 2017, EDET – 2020); she participated in the development of methodological proposals (alongside distributors EDP – 2019 and ENEL Eletropaulo – 2019) for defining the cost of capital rate in the electric sector in Brazil; she collaborated with the Brazilian generator association (ABRAGE – 2018) and the Brazilian transmission association (ABRATE – 2017) to improve the methodology for calculating the cost of capital rate for remuneration of power generation facilities in the quota system and transmission lines; she contributed to consulting support for ELEKTRO in proposing the WACC rate for the 4th Tariff Review Cycle; and assisted in developing the proposed proprietary capital cost rate for the liquid fuel storage sector for IENOVA in Mexico.
For rate calculation projects, María José participated in various studies for electric power distribution in Argentina (ENRE – 2016, EDESTE – 2017, ENERSA – 2015), Brazil (CELESC D – 2015, AME – 2014), Guatemala (DEOCSA and DEORSA – 2013) among others, and in the water and sanitation sector (ARSP – 2019, COMPESA – 2023).
In rate structure redesign, she participated in Technical Assistance to the water and sanitation provider in Ceará, Brazil (CAGECE – 2022), in executing and preparing the market and rate structure study for the concessionaire for both services.
Regarding regulatory framework definition projects, she provided technical assistance to water and sanitation regulatory agencies in Brazil (ARCE – 2014 and ARSP – 2019); in the Design of the New Electric Regulatory Framework for the Province of Córdoba for the Ministry of Water, Environment, and Public Services in Argentina in 2018.
Among her strategic services, she assisted in Electric Sector Business Valuations (generation, transmission, and distribution) in Argentina in 2020; in the Concession Review Process for State Energy Distributors in Brazil in 2015 (ELETROBRAS).
Regarding energy transition projects, she managed the Optimized Expansion Plan for Renewable Electric Power Generation for Galápagos/Ecuador for the IDB in 2020, the Research Study on Sustainable Energy Transition and infrastructure development opportunities for Vietnam, and the Scope Mapping and Definitions of Integrated Energy Planning for Sustainable Energy Transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) for the World Energy Transformation Program GET.Transform funded by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) in 2019, among others.
María José works passionately because she believes that the expansion and access to public services and energy contribute to human development and building a better future for all.
Publications
Author: ABRADEE Institute. Contribution as Co-Author of Chapter IV – Regulatory Remuneration Base.
Analysis of Best Practices in Selected Countries, Natural Resources and Development Series, No. 209 (LC/TS.2021/130), Santiago, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), 2021. (Technical Support)
Main Competencies
Regulatory Studies
a) Regulatory Framework Design and Reform.
b) Revenue Requirements Analysis (Asset Base, Investments, Operating Costs, Regulated Profitability Rate)
Strategic Services
a) Economic – Financial Analysis.
b) Technical – Economic Feasibility Studies.
c) Cost of Capital Rate Determination.
d) Due Diligence and Business Valuation.
Energy Markets
a) Energy Transition
b) Renewable Energies
