§9563 Prioritization of efforts and assistance for energy infrastructure projects in Europe and Eurasia

Summary

Requires the Secretary of State, working with the Secretary of Energy and other U.S. agencies, to speed up and focus U.S. help for the European Commission and European and Eurasian governments so they can make their energy systems safer and more reliable. The U.S. must give diplomatic backing for cross-border talks, better energy rules, and fair, open energy markets. The U.S. must also help with projects that build or improve energy infrastructure, early on and later in the project, to diversify where energy comes from, better link regional markets, and boost competition. Agencies must pick projects in Europe or Eurasia that upgrade transmission, power generation (from many fuel types), efficiency, storage, smart grids, distributed power, or other energy tech. Preference goes to projects that link two or more countries, are on the European Commission’s key list, improve market integration, can attract other funding, or can use U.S. goods and services. The State Department provides diplomatic help, the Trade and Development Agency gives early-stage support, and other agencies provide late-stage help as needed. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation may fund projects in upper-middle- or high-income countries (per the World Bank). The rule in section 9612(c)(2) does not apply. The Corporation must limit support in those richer countries unless the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees (as defined in section 9601) that the support furthers U.S. policy and either gives real developmental benefits to the poorest people or is needed to counter a strategic competitor or protect sensitive technologies or infrastructure. The terms “appropriate congressional committees” and “less developed country” are defined in section 9601.