Sec. 103. Development of comprehensive, multiyear strategy
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The President shall establish a comprehensive, integrated, multiyear strategy to assist countries in sub-Saharan Africa to implement national power strategies and develop an appropriate mix of power solutions, including renewable energy, to provide access to sufficient reliable, affordable, and sustainable power in order to reduce poverty and drive economic growth and job creation. The President shall ensure that the strategy required by paragraph
(1)maintains sufficient flexibility for and remains responsive to technological innovation in the power sector. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that contains the strategy required by subsection
(a)and includes a discussion of the following elements: The general and specific objectives of the strategy. The criteria for determining the success of the strategy. A description of the manner in which the strategy will support efforts of countries receiving assistance pursuant to the strategy to improve access to power using a broad mix of energy options and improve the affordability and reliability of power in sub-Saharan Africa. A general description of regional and country plans and significant local efforts, as appropriate, in sub-Saharan Africa to— increase power production; strengthen electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure; provide for regulatory reform and transparent and accountable governance and oversight; improve the reliability of power; maintain the affordability of power; maximize the financial sustainability of the power sector; and improve access to power. A description of plans to support efforts of countries receiving assistance pursuant to the strategy to increase access to power in urban and rural areas, including a description of plans designed to address commercial, industrial, and residential needs. A description of plans to support efforts of such countries to reduce waste and corruption and improve existing power generation through the use of a broad power mix, including fossil fuel and renewable energy, distributed generation models, and other technological innovations, as appropriate. An analysis of existing mechanisms for ensuring, and recommendations to promote— commercial cost recovery in countries receiving assistance pursuant to the strategy; commercialization of electric service through distribution service providers to consumers; improvements in revenue cycle management, power pricing, and fees assessed for service contracts and connections; reductions in technical losses in the transmission systems and commercial losses resulting from inefficiencies, including inefficiencies in the billing and collection cycle, theft, and manipulation of meter reading and billing systems; and access to power, including recommendations on the creation of new service provider models that mobilize community participation in the provision of power services. A description of United States Government efforts to support the efforts of countries receiving assistance pursuant to the strategy to leverage private sector resources and public sector financing pursuant to the strategy. A description of the reforms being undertaken or planned by countries in sub-Saharan Africa to ensure the long-term economic viability of power projects and to increase access to power, including— reforms designed to allow third parties to connect power generation to the grid affordably, quickly, and without undue regulatory burdens; policies to ensure there is a viable, adequately resourced, independent, and capable utility regulator; strategies to ensure utilities become or remain creditworthy; regulations that permit the participation of independent power producers and private-public partnerships; policies that encourage private investment in power generation; policies that ensure compensation for power provided to the electrical grid by on-site producers; policies to unbundle power services; and regulations to eliminate conflicts of interest in the utility sector. A description of plans to ensure— local consultation, as appropriate, in the planning, long-term maintenance, and management of investments designed to increase access to power in sub-Saharan Africa; and that such investments are sustainable and transparent, including through the provision of technical assistance and training. An identification of the relevant United States Government departments and agencies that will be involved in carrying out the strategy. A description of the level and distribution of resources that will be dedicated on an annual basis among those departments and agencies. A description of the role of each such department or agency and the types of programs that each such department or agency will conduct. A description of the mechanisms that will be used to coordinate the efforts of United States Government departments and agencies in carrying out the strategy to avoid duplication of efforts, enhance coordination, and ensure that each such department or agency conducts programs primarily in the areas in which that department or agency has the greatest expertise, technical capabilities, and potential for success. A description of the mechanisms to be established for— monitoring and evaluating increased access to, and reliability and affordability of, power in sub-Saharan Africa for individuals, communities, and businesses; maximizing the financial sustainability of power generation, transmission, and distribution in sub-Saharan Africa; sharing best practices among relevant United States Government departments and agencies and with other countries and institutions participating in efforts to increase access to power in sub-Saharan Africa; establishing metrics to demonstrate progress on meeting goals relating to access to power, power generation, and distribution in sub-Saharan Africa; and terminating unsuccessful programs. A description of the engagement plan for working with local communities benefitting from or affected by projects carried out pursuant to the strategy. A description of the mechanisms that will be used to ensure greater coordination between the United States and foreign governments, international organizations, African regional economic communities, international financial institutions, international fora such as the G–8 and G–20, and private sector and civil society organizations. An outline of how the President intends to partner with foreign governments, the World Bank Group, the African Development Bank, the private sector, and other development partners to assist sub-Saharan African countries to conduct project studies and facilitate project development. A description of how the President intends to help facilitate transnational and regional electrification projects where appropriate. A description of how the President intends to help sub-Saharan countries use new or potential fossil fuel and other resources in order to provide power to their citizens. A description of how the President intends to promote trade in electrical equipment with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including a description of how the government of each country receiving assistance pursuant to the strategy— plans to lower or eliminate import tariffs or other taxes for energy and other power production and distribution technologies destined for sub-Saharan Africa, including equipment used to provide energy access, including solar lanterns, solar home systems, and micro and mini grids; and plans to protect the intellectual property of companies designing and manufacturing products that can be used to provide energy access in sub-Saharan Africa. A description of how the President intends to work with the African Development Bank and other partners to increase the capacity of sub-Saharan African utilities to— develop standardized power purchase agreements and other contracts to streamline project development; and negotiate and monitor compliance with power purchase agreements and other contracts entered into with the private sector. A description of how the President intends to encourage the growth of distributed renewable energy markets in sub-Saharan Africa, including off-grid lighting and power, that includes— a country-by-country analysis of the state of distributed renewable energy in sub-Saharan Africa, including off-grid lighting and power; a description of market barriers to the deployment of distributed renewable energy technologies both on- and off-grid in sub-Saharan Africa; measures United States Government departments and agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, can take— to overcome or eliminate market barriers or enhance financing opportunities for distributed renewable energy solutions in sub-Saharan Africa; and to assist multilateral organizations such as the World Bank Group in efforts to eliminate such barriers or enhance such opportunities; the amount and kind of financial support and financing provided to participants in distributed energy markets by the United States Government, international financial institutions, and other international organizations; an analysis of the efficacy of efforts by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the United States Agency for International Development to facilitate the financing of the importation, distribution, sale, leasing, or marketing of distributed renewable energy technologies; and a description of how bolstering distributed renewable energy can enhance the overall effort to increase power access in sub-Saharan Africa. Any other issues the President determines are relevant to the strategy. For the purposes of developing the strategy required by subsection (a), the President shall establish an African Power Advisory Group to advise on the development and implementation of the strategy and report required by this section and assistance provided pursuant to this section. The African Power Advisory Group shall be composed of 12 members appointed by the President, including the following: The Coordinator of the President’s Power Africa Initiative. Seven individuals from the power sector, of whom— at least one shall have experience in the fossil fuel power sector; at least one shall have experience with the rural electrical cooperatives; at least one shall have experience in the renewable energy sector; and at least one shall have experience in the distributed generation sector. Three individuals, other than individuals described in subparagraph (B), who shall have experience in working with the business community in Africa or with governments of countries in Africa. One individual who shall have experience with utility regulation. The President shall call upon members of the African Power Advisory Group, either collectively or individually, to advise the President regarding the development and implementation of the strategy and report required by this section and assistance provided pursuant to this section. The African Power Advisory Group shall meet not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than annually thereafter. The African Power Advisory Group established under this section shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).