[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49726-49728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19761]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation Finance/
Regulatory/Energy Planning Authority Workshop October 22 in Abu Dhabi,
UAE
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration.
Event Description
The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade
Administration (ITA) is coordinating with the U.S. Department of
Energy--the lead U.S. agency for the International Framework for
Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC)--to organize participation by
representatives of U.S. industry in the IFNEC Finance, Regulatory, and
Energy Planning Authority Workshop, to be held on October 22, 2013 in
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), prior to the IFNEC Steering
Group and Executive Committee meetings. IFNEC is an international forum
consisting of 63 countries ranging from those with emerging and
existing nuclear power programs to those in the process of phasing out
nuclear power programs. This workshop is designed to facilitate a more
focused dialogue directed at understanding the challenges that
financing presents for countries that are beginning to develop nuclear
power projects, while maintaining respect for independence in sovereign
decision-making. ITA is seeking the participation of a minimum of 15
U.S. companies or trade associations in the civil nuclear sector in the
IFNEC Workshop. The IFNEC Workshop's scenario-based interactive
dialogue will provide an opportunity for member country policymakers
and other participants to benefit from the viewpoints of the U.S. civil
nuclear industry and for U.S. industry to be able to learn more about
the policies, regulatory landscape, and energy planning of the
participating countries of IFNEC.
Event Setting
The IFNEC Workshop is an event to bring together IFNEC member
country representatives and key stakeholders involved in the financing
of nuclear power projects, including national energy planning
authorities, nuclear regulatory institutions, energy market regulators,
financial institutions, utilities and others, as well as U.S. nuclear
industry representatives. The workshop will focus on enhancing IFNEC's
understanding of the role and interests of, and interactions between,
these key stakeholders in the financing of nuclear power projects in
emerging market countries.
IFNEC is led by an Executive Committee, which is made up of
ministerial-level officials or their designees from Participant
Countries and Organizations that meet annually to set the agenda for
the Forum for the coming year. Observer Countries and Organizations are
welcome and encouraged to attend. The IFNEC Executive Committee
accepted the Final Summary Report of the 2012 London IFNEC Finance
Workshop at its October 2012 meeting in Morocco, and proposed that
IFNEC organize a follow-on workshop in 2013. The IFNEC Finance Workshop
Summary Report is available at http://www.ifnec.org/Meetings/Workshops/FinanceWorkshop2012.aspx. Abu Dhabi's Regulation and Supervision Bureau
will host the IFNEC Workshop. The workshop builds on the outcomes of
the 2012 London IFNEC Finance Workshop, which highlighted the
importance of (1) An effective and independent nuclear regulator, (2)
government commitment and support, and (3) a sound business plan. This
workshop will be designed to facilitate a more focused dialogue
directed at understanding the challenges that financing presents for
countries embarking on the development of nuclear power projects, while
maintaining respect for sovereign decision-making.
Participants in this IFNEC Workshop will hear the unique
perspectives of the financing community, project proponents, regulatory
bodies, national energy planning authorities and other stakeholders
regarding the challenges and opportunities related to nuclear power
project financing in an emerging market country. In particular, this
IFNEC Workshop will follow-up on the key findings from the London IFNEC
Finance Workshop. The IFNEC Workshop will focus on the critical, but
not well understood, relationships between financing and the
independence and experience base of the nuclear regulatory authorities,
with responsibilities in not only nuclear safety, but security and
safeguards as well. Another focal point will be the important roles
that electric market regulators, and power purchase agreements, are
playing today in the financing of nuclear power projects in emerging
market countries. Although taking place over only one day, the workshop
will cover as many of these central topics as possible, while still
recognizing certain elements may emerge that require further
investigation.
Event Scenario
Workshop format
The IFNEC Workshop will provide a dynamic forum in which experts
representing a broad spectrum of key stakeholders will engage in a
moderated exercise to address a hypothetical scenario related to the
financing of a nuclear power project in a country with an emerging
nuclear power program. Following the scenario exercise, key experts
will lead focused, participatory dialogues among groups of IFNEC
Workshop attendees to further address specific issues and responses to
the scenario-based exercise. The interactions in the breakout groups
will help IFNEC Workshop attendees gain a better understanding of how
the financing community, project proponents, regulatory bodies,
national
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energy planning authorities and other stakeholders affect the process
of nuclear energy financing. The overall goal of the workshop is to
identify practical actions that IFNEC countries, individually or
collectively, could take to promote identified opportunities and to
address the identified challenges to nuclear energy financing,
especially in regards to emerging market countries.
Workshop topics
Explore the importance of an effective, independent
regulator for securing nuclear power plant financing. The expert
panelists will address the question of: ``How can the financial
community evaluate, as part of its due diligence, the independence and
effectiveness of a safety regulator?''
The Characteristics to be explored include:
--Underlying framework/legislation/regulation
--Personnel qualifications and experience/organizational effectiveness
--Programs for sharing best practices and on-going peer-to-peer
learning opportunities
--Role of transparency
Explore the role that electricity market regulation,
including sales/rate commitments, plays in the financing of a nuclear
project. The expert panelists will address the question of: ``How can
electric market regulation support the financing of a nuclear power
project?''
IFNEC Workshop participants will explore:
--The evolving current trends and approaches in electric market
regulation, including power purchase agreements
--The role of government and governments guarantees
--How these market commitments fit into broader energy and
environmental policy development, including the role of renewable
incentives/subsidies
Date and Proposed Agenda
October 22
8:00-9:00 a.m. Registration and Coffee
9:00-9:45 a.m. Welcome and Introduction
9:45-10:20 a.m. Goals and Introductions
10:20-10:50 a.m. Scenario Presentation
11:05-12:30 p.m. Interactive Moderated Scenario-Based Exercise by
Expert Panel Lunch *
1:30--1:45 p.m. Introduction to Break-Out Sessions Process and Topics
(by Moderator)
1:45--3:00 p.m. Break-Out Sessions
3:20--4:20 p.m. Break-Out Sessions Reports and Facilitated Review Panel
Comments/Suggestions
4:20--5:00 p.m. Summarize Findings with Opportunity for Facilitated
Input from Plenary Concluding Remarks and Closing of IFNEC Workshop
Reception & Dinner *
* During the IFNEC Workshop the lunch, reception and dinner will be
provided by the host country.
Event Goals
In organizing U.S. civil nuclear industry participation in the
upcoming IFNEC Workshop, the ITA intends to give IFNEC Participant
Countries the opportunity to hear the views and perspectives of the
U.S. industry in this sector and for industry representatives to have
the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and experience with nuclear
project financing to the IFNEC Participant Countries. Participants in
this workshop will benefit from the expertise that the U.S. industry
has amassed in this sector and may potentially learn how to better
partner with U.S. industry on nuclear power projects in the future,
thus leading to greater U.S. exports. U.S. participants will also have
the opportunity to network, build relationships in the global civil
nuclear sector and learn more about current and future project
opportunities.
Participation Requirements
All parties interested in participating in the IFNEC Workshop must
complete and submit an application package for consideration by the
ITA. All applicants will be evaluated based on their ability to meet
certain conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined
below. A minimum of 15 applicants will be selected to participate in
the IFNEC Workshop from the applicant pool of U.S. companies and trade
associations. Only companies or trade associations representing
companies that are already doing business internationally may apply.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis in the order that they
are received.
Fees
After a company or trade association has been selected to
participate in the IFNEC Workshop, the IFNEC Steering Group Chair will
send out a formal invitation. There is NO participation fee associated
with attending the IFNEC Workshop. However, participants will be
responsible for personal costs associated with lodging, most meals,
incidentals, local ground transportation, air transportation from the
United States to the event location, and return to the United States.
The Abu Dhabi's Regulation and Supervision Bureau host will provide for
the lunch, reception and dinner.
Conditions for Participation
Applicants must submit to ITA's staff (see Contact) a completed
mission application signed by a company official, together with
supplemental application materials addressing how he/she satisfies the
selection criteria listed below by August 23, 2013. If the ITA receives
an incomplete application, then it may be rejected or ITA may request
additional information.
In question 11 of the trade event application, each applicant is
asked to certify that the products and services it intends to export
through the trade event are either manufactured or produced in the
United States, or, if not, are marketed under the name of a U.S. firm
and have U.S. content representing at least fifty-one percent of the
value of the finished good or service. If applicants find this
certification difficult to make in the context of this event, or are
unsure of whether they can certify to this, we encourage them to
indicate on the application form why the applicant's company should be
considered for participation in the event, what experience or expertise
the company can contribute to the event discussions, and how the
company's goals and objectives are consistent with the purpose of the
event.
In the case of a trade association, the applicant must certify that
as part of its activities in this event, it will represent the
interests of members meeting the criteria discussed in the previous
paragraph or provide an explanation of the type described in the
previous paragraph.
Selection Criteria for Participation
Selection will be based on the following criteria:
The applicant's experience producing technology or
providing services to civil nuclear energy projects or, in the case of
a trade association, the experience of its members;
The extent and depth of the applicant's activities in the
global civil nuclear energy industry;
The applicant's company or, in the case of a trade
association, the association's members' potential for, or interest in,
doing business with IFNEC member countries;
The applicant's ability to identify and discuss policy
issues relevant to U.S. competitiveness in the nuclear energy sector,
with special emphasis on financing; and
[[Page 49728]]
Consistency of the applicant's company or trade
association's goals and objectives with the stated scope of the IFNEC
Workshop.
Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing
references to partisan political activities (including political
contributions) will be removed from an applicant's submission and not
considered during the selection process.
Selected applicants will be asked to sign a Participation Agreement
with the Department of Commerce which includes the following mandatory
certifications (applicants that cannot attest to these certifications
cannot participate):
Certify that the products and services that it intends to highlight
as examples at the workshop would be in compliance with U.S. export
controls and regulations;
Certify that it has identified to the Department of
Commerce for its evaluation any business pending before the Department
that may present the appearance of a conflict of interest;
Certify that it has identified any pending litigation
(including any administrative proceedings) to which it is a party that
involves the Department of Commerce; and
Certify that it and its affiliates (1) have not and will
not engage in the bribery of foreign officials in connection with a
company's/participant's involvement in this mission, and (2) maintain
and enforce a policy that prohibits the bribery of foreign officials.
Timeframe for Recruitment and Participation
Recruitment for participation in the IFNEC Workshop as a
representative of the U.S. nuclear industry will be conducted in an
open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register,
posting on the Commerce Department trade mission calendar, notices to
industry trade associations and other multiplier groups. Recruitment
will begin immediately and conclude no later than August 23, 2013. The
ITA will review applications and make selection decisions on a rolling
basis beginning on or about August 23, 2013. Applications received
after August 28, 2013 will be considered only if space and scheduling
permit.
FOR FUTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Scott, Senior Policy Advisor,
MAS-Office of Energy and Environmental Industries, International Trade
Administration, Department of Commerce, Phone: (202)-482-3851, Email:
[email protected].
Elnora Moye,
Trade Assistant.
[FR Doc. 2013-19761 Filed 8-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P