USTDA GRANT TO CENTRAL ELECTRICITY BOARD SIGNED

UNCLAS PORT LOUIS 000151 DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/EPS, AND EB/CBA DEPT PLEASE PASS TDA FOR PAUL MARIN DEPT PLEASE PASS USTR FOR PATRICK COLEMAN DEPT OF COMMERCE FOR 4510/ITA/IEP/ANESA/OA/JED DIAMOND JOHANNESBURG FOR FCS AND TDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP ETRD EINV ECON PGOV USTR MP SUBJECT: USTDA GRANT TO CENTRAL ELECTRICITY BOARD SIGNED ¶1. On May 14, Embassy Charge d'Affaires, Virginia Blaser, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Renewable Energy and Public Utilities, Dr. Rashid Beebeejaun, signed a Grant Agreement whereby the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) will provide $325,000 to the Central Electricity Board (CEB) to finance a feasibility study on the proposed CEB Transmission Grid and Transformer Network Monitoring System Project in Mauritius. The main objective of the project is to support the GOM's efforts to improve the efficiency of the country's power transmission and distribution grid. ¶2. The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Renewable Energy, CEB executives and Board members, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Chief of Protocol, as well as other senior government officials and chief executives of public utilities. Representatives of both the electronic and print media were present. The event will be covered by the national T.V. during the evening news and we expect detailed reports in the press tomorrow and in the coming days. The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the U.S. Government for this assistance, highlighted the importance of the project, and promised prompt action on the recommendations of the study. ¶3. One original copy of the signed agreement will be sent to USTDA headquarters via express courier. BLASER