Electrify Africa Act side by side:

2014 / 2015
Section 1: Title / No Change
Section 2: Purpose / No Change
Section 3: Findings (general background info) / Not included
Section 4: Statement of Policy
Sec.4.2 to encourage private sector and international support for construction of hydroelectric dams in sub-Saharan Africa that— / Section 101: Statement of Policy
  • 101.6 - Includes language to promote reforms of power production, delivery, and pricing, as well as regulatory reforms and transparency, to support long-term, market based power generation and distribution
  • 101.7 Includes language to promote policies to displace kerosene lighting with other technologies
  • 101.8 Eliminates language supporting the construction of hydro-electric dams, and replaces with language to promote an All-of-the-above energy develop strategy: this means using hydro, wind, solar, fossil, etc.

Section 5: Development of a Comprehensive, Multiyear Strategy and Requires a Report from the President to the appropriate Congressional Committee’s / Section 102 – Dev. of Comprehensive Multi-year strategy, and Report: Language is same with addition of:
  • Section 102.3 – Consolidation: includes language to apply this bill to the Administration’s Power Africa, and the African Clean Energy Financing Initiative, and other US Programs supporting power generation in Sub-Saharan African countries
  • Report requirements include more thorough descriptions of programs than in previous bill
  • Section 102.3.C suggests that the President should (if appropriate), establish an Interagency Working Group to coordinate activities to avoid overlap and waste

Section 6: USAID:
  • Should identify and prioritize loan guarantees, partnerships and grants etc
/ Section 103: expands this section
  • includes USAID, Trade and Development Agency, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation
  • Instead of using the language of “loan guarantees, partnerships, and grants” this section uses more general language to say these institutions should prioritize and expedite institutional efforts and assistance – this will allow for more flexibility
  • Also includes more language on what these efforts should focus on: such as reducing energy-related impediments; and reducing transmission and distribution losses among other priorities
  • Includes language to require these agencies to use clear, accountable, and metric-based targets to measure the effectiveness of such guarantees and assistance in achieving this bills polices
  • If a US Government Agency provides financing or assistance to a project – then it must provide its development impacts to the public in a digit format (likely in some sort of report online)
  • Includes a “Rule of Construction” – stating that nothing in this section may authorize or limit US government projects in other developing regions – meaning this is solely for the sub-Saharan African countries effected by this bill

Section 7: Leveraging International Support / Section 104: Leveraging International Support
  • exactly the same with the addition of Section 104.B stating the President should direct the heads of US Government Agencies described in Section 103(a) to coordinate assistance and financing with appropriate international bodies

Section 8: Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
  • States that OPIC should: prioritize investments, maximize number of people with new access, improve generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, provide reliable and low cost electricity, consider energy needs of those where an electric grid is impractical or prohibitive, reduce losses, improve efficiencies, reduce impediments, encourage locally-owned enterprises and co-ops to participate, publish an accessible (digital format) report on measurable impacts
  • Investment Advisory Council will be required to take prompt measures to increase the loan, guarantee, and insurance programs, and financial commitments; make recommendations to the Board on how the Corporation can facilitate greater support by the US for trade and investment
  • The Investment Advisory Council will terminate on December 31, 2017
  • Inspector General – the Board shall appoint and maintain an Inspector General (IG) in the Corporation
SURVEY: Consumer Satisfaction Survey / Title II – OPIC
  • Most of language from Section 8 on what OPIC should do, and the Investment Advisory Council will do (what I have summarized in the left hand column) of the 2014 bill is covered in Section 103
  • Board Composition – includes language for the President to appoint Directors to the Boardin case the first two individuals serving as Directors who terms expire after the date of enactment of this Act
  • The Investment Advisory Council will terminate on September 30 of the third fiscal year after the enactment of this subsection
  • OPIC is temporarily authorized until September 30 of the third fiscal year after the enactment of this Act to issue local currency guarantees to African subsidiaries of foreign financial institutions IF the issuance of such guarantees directly facilitates lending for power projects in sub-Saharan Africa by eligible investors
  • Eligible Investors Defined: as defined in section 238(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2198(c)).
  • Any loans made or local currency guarantees issued before September 30 on third fiscal year shall remain valid on or after that date
  • Inspector General - The President shall appoint and maintain an IG
SURVEY: Consumer Satisfaction Survey
  • Changes dates to represents 2015 bill and length of authority

Section 9: Trade and Development Agency
  • States what the Director of the Trade and Development Agency “Should” do
/ Covered in Section 103
Section 10: Progress Report – report will cover many area’s including an assessment of how many people are actually reached and gain access to first time electricity / Moved to Section 105: Progress Report: updated to reflect reports on new sections, otherwise the same.