Tallinn's Input for EISA 2007 Reporting

UNCLAS TALLINN 000067 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EEB/ESC/IEC B. Glenn Griffin E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG SENV APER ABUD EN SUBJECT: Tallinn's Input for EISA 2007 Reporting REF: STATE 010743 ¶1. (U) Embassy Tallinn's response to the reporting requirement of the 2007 Energy Independence Security Act (EISA) is keyed to reftel questions below. ¶2. (SBU) -- A. Which section or sections of the Embassy handle energy matters? What is the total number of staff in this section or sections? -- Support for Estonia's energy independence is a goal of Embassy Tallinn's Mission Strategic Plan (MSP) for FY2009. On a daily basis, the embassy's joint Political/Economic section covers energy matters. This section has a total staff four FSNs, three FSOs, and one part-time EFM OMS. -- B. Please identify the positions of employees that work on energy matters and specify the percentage of time that such employees devote to energy matters. For example: 1 economic officer: 90 percent of the time; 1 OMS: 30 percent of the time; 1 econ counselor: 20 percent of the time; 1 FSN: 60 percent of the time. -- One Economic Officer, 15 percent of the time; one ESTH FSN 10 percent of the time; one Economic/ Commercial FSN 15 percent of the time. -- C. Please provide a brief narrative description of the positions of employees that work on energy matters (econ officer, EST counselor, FSN, etc.),the kinds of work they do(for example, report on oil ministry, contact with oil companies, energy dialogues, civilian nuclear programs),and any special information about their qualifications. -- Economic Officer: This officer meets with officials from the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on energy matters, as well as contacts at the state-owned power utility. He analyzes and reports on Estonian energy policies (e.g. energy security, energy-related environmental regulations, regional cooperation etc.),does site visits (power plants and refineries) and attends regional conferences. He follows regional news and cable traffic on oil & gas supply and transit issues and electricity production and markets. Econoff also coordinates host country involvement in Voluntary Visitor programs and conferences in the U.S. on bio- fuels and renewable energy, coordinates USG visits on energy related matters and briefs the Executive Office on matters related to energy as they affect Estonia. -- ESTH FSN: This FSN meets with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture on energy matters, as well as contacts at the state-owned power utility. She analyzes and reports on Estonian energy policies and does site visits. She follows regional news and cable traffic on oil & gas supply and transit issues and electricity production and markets. This FSN helps coordinate host country involvement in Voluntary Visitor programs and conferences in the U.S. on bio-fuels and renewable energy. She also helps to coordinate visits to Estonia on energy related matters and prepare briefing materials for the Executive Office on matters related to energy as they affect Estonia. -- Economic/Commercial FSN: This FSN meets with officials from the Ministry of Economy on energy matters, as well as contacts at the state-owned power utility. She reports on Estonian energy policies and does site visits. She follows regional news and cable traffic on oil & gas supply and transit issues and electricity production and markets. Economic/Commercial FSN helps coordinate visits to Estonia and prepare briefing materials for the Executive Office on matters related to energy as they affect Estonia. -- D. Budget: Please provide the amounts of State Department funds, including salary costs (prorated as applicable),spent by your post in FY 2007 on energy- related activities in two categories: --- Personnel: the percentages stated above apply for the full year of FY 2007 for the following grades and steps: FS-03, step 02 (USD 62,935); ESTH FSN grade 10 (USD 48,215); Econ/Commercial FSN grade 9 (USD 46,661). --- Programs: Post spent 648.87 USD on travel for energy- related training and meetings in FY 2006, and 1,265.11 USD on energy-related training and representational events in FY 2008 to date. For FY 2007, post spent a portion of Pol/Econ travel funds for a section offsite to Helsinki (energy was covered as one topic at this event) and in-country travel to the Narva Power Plant in eastern Estonia. PHILLIPS