International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation Finance/Regulatory/Energy Planning Authority Workshop October 22 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 49726-49728 [2013-19761]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• International Trade Administration

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49726-49728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing 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 https://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

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     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: 
Michelle.Scott@trade.gov.

Elnora Moye,
Trade Assistant.
[FR Doc. 2013-19761 Filed 8-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P