In 2021 every $1 USTDA invested in its programs generated a record $117 in U.S. exports. USTDA has facilitated more than $76 billion in U.S. exports since its founding in 1992, supporting 4,000 infrastructure activities in 139 countries.
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and CAF-Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) renewed their partnership to advance high-quality sustainable infrastructure projects in the Latin America and Caribbean region. USTDA and CAF agreed upon a new joint action plan to advance clean energy, transportation, digital connectivity, climate, water, and environment-related infrastructure projects across the region.
“Sustainable infrastructure is critical for long-term development and prosperity throughout the Latin America and Caribbean region. USTDA and CAF share a vision and complementary set of tools to help make that happen,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “USTDA’s renewed partnership with CAF aligns with the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, which President Biden and the G7 leaders launched earlier this week. This partnership will help deliver game-changing projects to close the infrastructure gap across the region, as well as increase U.S. industry engagement in the region’s infrastructure development.”
The USTDA-CAF partnership began in 2015 with a framework to collaborate on project preparation and financing to help implement sustainable infrastructure priorities in the region. Shared goals highlighted under the partnership include supporting infrastructure investments that promote economic, social, and environmental development in the region, as well as providing support for project preparation to ensure the bankability of infrastructure projects.
Sergio Díaz-Granados, CAF’s Executive President, said: “We continue to join allies to improve the structuring of projects with strategic partners such as USTDA. This is essential to improve the designs, budgets and necessary studies so that when the time comes for execution and maintenance, we have more efficient, sustainable and resilient works in terms of climate change adaptation, in line with our purpose of becoming the green bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.”
This partnership advances the U.S. government’s commitment from the recent Summit of the Americas to mobilize climate finance in coordination with regional development banks, including CAF.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a technical assistance grant to Brazilian electric distribution utility CEMIG Distribuição S.A. that will facilitate the growth of renewable power generation across the State of Minas Gerais. USTDA’s assistance will create a five-year investment plan to help the utility integrate a rapidly growing number of consumers and solar-power systems into its grid. CEMIG Distribuição selected New York-based Vrinda Inc. to perform the assistance.
“USTDA is partnering with utilities in Brazil and emerging economies around the globe to lay the foundation for their clean energy futures. Our work is helping our partners make the most appropriate strategic investments for their needs,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Our support for this activity will advance U.S. industry’s participation in Brazil’s dynamic power sector while providing CEMIG Distribuição with solutions to modernize its operations and manage its distribution system more efficiently.”
The technical assistance will create a distribution investment plan to advance CEMIG Distribuição’s goal of becoming a decentralized, decarbonized, and digitized utility. It will include a domestic regulatory analysis and identify international best practices for distribution asset modernization. The assistance will also include a financing plan and a roadmap for implementing the recommended investments.
CEMIG Distribuição Director, Marney Tadeu Antunes, said: “CEMIG Distribuição is one of the largest utilities in Latin America. We have major challenges for the coming years, such as decentralization and consumer empowerment, automation and IoT, decarbonization, electric mobility, distributed resources, ancillary services and grid management. In this sense, the project with USTDA is extremely important to achieve our goals and improve service to our clients.”
This is USTDA’s fourth technical assistance activity with CEMIG Distribuição. Previous collaborations have led to the successful deployment of U.S. smart grid and distributed energy systems.
USTDA’s latest activity with CEMIG Distribuição supports the international climate and economic cooperation priorities of the U.S. government, including USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure and the U.S.-Brazil Energy Forum.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced that it has provided grant funding to the Electricity Corporation of Ecuador (CELEC EP) for a master plan to advance the digital transformation and modernization of Ecuador’s national electricity transmission system. This assistance will help reduce power losses, improve efficiency, and support the integration of renewable energy into Ecuador’s national grid.
“In emerging economies around the world, USTDA is helping its partners develop reliable and resilient electricity infrastructure,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Undertaking the digital transformation of Ecuador’s national electricity transmission grid will have a lasting impact and help Ecuador take charge of its clean energy future. U.S. companies are eager to partner with CELEC EP to achieve these goals.”
USTDA’s technical assistance will help facilitate the deployment of smart grid technologies, enhance grid management capabilities, and improve the overall operational efficiency of Ecuador’s national electricity transmission system.
“Due to unexpected and rapid technological advances, electric utilities around the world are facing constant challenges that impact their operations and management,” said Gonzalo Uquillas, General Manager of CELEC EP. “The Electricity Corporation of Ecuador is facing these same challenges and opportunities, and this USTDA assistance will support our digital transformation strategy for the national transmission system.”
This activity advances the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging markets.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded technical assistance should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) announced a new partnership to advance high-quality infrastructure in emerging economies around the world. The partnership was announced during President Joe Biden’s visit to Tokyo.
“USTDA and JBIC are partnering to develop climate-smart infrastructure that can be financed, implemented and sustained,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Our collaboration will advance the development of resilient, quality infrastructure in our partner countries, while increasing U.S. and Japanese industry engagement in these projects.”
The partnership was commemorated through the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) in support of the second Leaders’ Summit of the Quad, which included President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan.
The MOC creates a framework for strengthened USTDA and JBIC collaboration on project preparation and financing to help implement sustainable infrastructure priorities identified under the Quad. Shared goals highlighted under the MOC include supporting climate-smart infrastructure investments that promote green, sustainable, and resilient infrastructure, as well as providing support for project preparation to ensure the bankability of infrastructure projects.
Mr. Maeda Tadashi, JBIC’s Governor, said: “JBIC and USTDA share a commitment to strengthening the energy security and economic security of emerging economies around the world. Our partnership will leverage the complementary resources of two agencies that are recognized global leaders in their respective fields and advance infrastructure projects in which both Japanese and U.S. companies can participate.”
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to Mekong Clean Energy Interconnection Company Ltd. (MCEICL) for a feasibility study to advance the development of a high-voltage transmission line in southern Vietnam’s Bac Lieu province. USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong announced the award during a ceremony attended by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. MCEICL has selected Kansas-based Black & Veatch Management Consulting, LLC to perform the study.
“High-quality transmission grids can absorb a higher volume of renewable energy. With this grant, USTDA is facilitating the development of sustainable infrastructure that will help advance Vietnam’s clean energy and energy access goals,” said Director Ebong. “U.S. companies are eager to partner with Vietnam to advance these goals.”
USTDA’s study will support the implementation of the transmission line by developing preliminary designs, risk mitigation strategies and an implementation plan. The transmission line will provide power transmission capacity for grid-scale renewable energy projects in the region to help meet the rising power needs of the Mekong River Delta and southern Vietnam.
“This USTDA grant supports affordable and reliable clean energy to the country and people of Vietnam. The transmission line will further enable the country’s goals to achieve net-zero by decongesting grid bottlenecks for renewable energy projects in the Mekong Delta,” said Bobby Quintos, Managing Director of MCEICL’s parent entity, Delta Offshore Energy.
This activity advances the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging economies.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357