I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2847 
To encourage African countries provide first-time access to electricity and 
power services for at least 50,000,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 23, 2015 
Mr. ROYCE (for himself, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Ms. 
BASS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To encourage African countries provide first-time access to 
electricity and power services for at least 50,000,000 
people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Electrify Africa Act 
of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to encourage the efforts 
of countries in sub-Saharan Africa to improve access to 
affordable and reliable electricity in Africa in order to 
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unlock the potential for economic growth, job creation, 
food security, improved health, education, and environ-
mental outcomes, and poverty reduction. 
TITLE I—POLICIES TO IMPROVE 
ACCESS TO POWER IN SUB-SA-
HARAN AFRICA 
SEC. 101. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
Congress declares that it is the policy of the United 
States to partner, consult, and coordinate with the govern-
ments of sub-Saharan African countries, international or-
ganizations, African regional economic communities, co-
operatives, and the private sector, in a concerted effort 
to— 
(1) promote first-time access to electricity and 
power services for at least 50,000,000 people in sub- 
Saharan Africa by 2020 in both urban and rural 
areas; 
(2) encourage the installation of at least 20,000 
additional megawatts of electrical power in sub-Sa-
haran Africa by 2020 using a broad mix of energy 
options to help reduce poverty, promote sustainable 
development, and drive economic growth; 
(3) promote reliable, affordable, and sustainable 
power in urban areas (including small urban areas) 
to promote economic growth and job creation; 
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(4) promote efficient institutional platforms and 
financing to provide electrical service to rural and 
underserved populations; 
(5) encourage the necessary in-country reforms, 
including facilitating public-private partnerships spe-
cifically to support electricity access projects to 
make such expansion of power access possible; 
(6) promote reforms of power production, deliv-
ery, and pricing, as well as regulatory reforms and 
transparency, to support long-term, market-based 
power generation and distribution; 
(7) promote policies to displace kerosene light-
ing with other technologies; and 
(8) promote an all-of-the-above energy develop-
ment strategy for sub-Saharan Africa that includes 
the use of oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric, wind, 
solar, and geothermal power, and other sources of 
energy, as appropriate. 
SEC. 
102. 
DEVELOPMENT 
OF 
COMPREHENSIVE, 
INTE-
GRATED, MULTIYEAR STRATEGY. 
(a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall establish 
a comprehensive, integrated, multiyear strategy to 
encourage the efforts of countries in sub-Saharan 
Africa to implement national power strategies and 
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develop an appropriate mix of power solutions to 
provide access to sufficient reliable, affordable, and 
sustainable power in order to reduce poverty and 
drive economic growth and job creation consistent 
with the policy stated in section 101. 
(2) FLEXIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS.—The 
President shall ensure that the strategy required 
under paragraph (1) maintains sufficient flexibility 
for and remains responsive to technological innova-
tion in the power sector. 
(3) CONSOLIDATION.—This Act shall apply to 
Power Africa and the African Clean Energy Financ-
ing Initiative and other United States programs and 
activities for increasing power generation and trans-
mission in sub-Saharan African countries. 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 
shall transmit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate a report that contains the strategy 
required under subsection (a) and includes a discussion 
of the following elements: 
(1) The objectives of the strategy and the cri-
teria for determining the success of the strategy. 
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(2) A general description of efforts in sub-Saha-
ran Africa to— 
(A) increase electricity production; 
(B) strengthen electrical transmission and 
distribution infrastructure; 
(C) provide for regulatory reform and 
transparent and accountable governance and 
oversight; 
(D) improve the reliability of electricity; 
(E) maintain the affordability of elec-
tricity; 
(F) maximize the financial sustainability of 
the power sector; and 
(G) improve access to electricity. 
(3) A description of plans to support efforts of 
countries in sub-Saharan Africa to increase access to 
electricity in urban and rural areas, including a de-
scription of plans designed to address commercial, 
industrial, and residential needs. 
(4) A description of plans to support efforts to 
reduce government waste and corruption and im-
prove existing electricity generation through the use 
of a broad power mix, including fossil fuel and re-
newable energy, distributed generation models, en-
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ergy efficiency, and other technological innovations, 
as appropriate. 
(5) An analysis of existing mechanisms for en-
suring, and recommendations to promote— 
(A) commercial cost recovery; 
(B) commercialization of electric service 
through distribution service providers, including 
cooperatives, to consumers; 
(C) improvements in revenue cycle man-
agement, power pricing, and fees assessed for 
service contracts and connections; 
(D) reductions in technical losses and com-
mercial losses; and 
(E) access to electricity, including rec-
ommendations on the creation of new service 
provider models that mobilize community par-
ticipation in the provision of power services. 
(6) A description of the reforms being under-
taken or planned by countries in sub-Saharan Africa 
to ensure the long-term economic viability of power 
projects and to increase access to electricity, includ-
ing— 
(A) reforms designed to allow third parties 
to connect power generation to the grid; 
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(B) policies to ensure there is a viable and 
independent utility regulator; 
(C) strategies to ensure utilities become or 
remain creditworthy; 
(D) regulations that permit the participa-
tion of independent power producers and pri-
vate-public partnerships; 
(E) policies that encourage private sector 
and cooperative investment in power generation; 
(F) policies that promote compensation for 
power provided to the electrical grid by on-site 
producers; 
(G) policies to unbundle power services; 
(H) regulations to eliminate conflicts of in-
terest in the utility sector; and 
(I) efforts to develop standardized power 
purchase agreements and other contracts to 
streamline project development, and efforts to 
negotiate and monitor compliance with power 
purchase agreements and other contracts en-
tered into with the private sector. 
(7) A description of plans to ensure local con-
sultation, as appropriate, in the planning, long-term 
maintenance, and management of investments de-
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signed to increase access to electricity in sub-Saha-
ran Africa. 
(8) A description of the mechanisms to be es-
tablished for— 
(A) selection of partner countries for fo-
cused engagement on the power sector; 
(B) monitoring and evaluating increased 
access to, and reliability and affordability of, 
electricity in sub-Saharan Africa; 
(C) maximizing the financial sustainability 
of power generation, transmission, and distribu-
tion in sub-Saharan Africa; 
(D) establishing metrics to demonstrate 
progress on meeting goals relating to access to 
electricity, power generation, and distribution in 
sub-Saharan Africa; and 
(E) terminating unsuccessful programs. 
(9) A description of how the President intends 
to promote trade in electrical equipment with coun-
tries in sub-Saharan Africa, including a description 
of how the government of each country receiving as-
sistance pursuant to the strategy— 
(A) plans to lower or eliminate import tar-
iffs or other taxes for energy and other power 
production and distribution technologies des-
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tined for sub-Saharan Africa, including equip-
ment used to provide energy access, including 
solar lanterns, solar home systems, and micro 
and mini grids; and 
(B) plans to protect the intellectual prop-
erty of companies designing and manufacturing 
products that can be used to provide energy ac-
cess in sub-Saharan Africa. 
(10) A description of how the President intends 
to encourage the growth of distributed energy mar-
kets in sub-Saharan Africa, including off-grid light-
ing and power, that includes— 
(A) an analysis of the state of distributed 
energy in sub-Saharan Africa; 
(B) a description of market barriers to the 
deployment of distributed energy technologies 
both on- and off-grid in sub-Saharan Africa; 
(C) an analysis of the efficacy of efforts by 
the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the 
United States Agency for International Devel-
opment, and United States Trade and Develop-
ment Agency to facilitate the financing of the 
importation, distribution, sale, leasing, or mar-
keting of distributed energy technologies; and 
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(D) a description of how bolstering distrib-
uted energy can enhance the overall effort to in-
crease power access in sub-Saharan Africa. 
(c) INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President should, as ap-
propriate, establish an Interagency Working Group 
to coordinate the activities of relevant United States 
Government departments and agencies involved in 
carrying out the strategy required under this sec-
tion. 
(2) FUNCTIONS.—The Interagency Working 
Group should, among other things, seek to coordi-
nate the activities of the United States Government 
departments and agencies involved in implementing 
the strategy required under this section, ensure effi-
cient and effective coordination between partici-
pating departments and agencies, facilitate informa-
tion sharing, and coordinate partnerships between 
the United States Government, the private sector, 
cooperation organizations, and other development 
partners to achieve the goals of the strategy. 
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SEC. 103. PRIORITIZATION OF EFFORTS AND ASSISTANCE 
FOR POWER PROJECTS IN SUB-SAHARAN AF-
RICA 
BY 
UNITED 
STATES 
GOVERNMENT 
AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In implementing the policy de-
scribed in section 101 and the strategy under section 102, 
the Administrator of the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development, the Director of the Trade and De-
velopment Agency, the President of the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation, and the Chief Executive Officer 
and Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Cor-
poration should prioritize and expedite institutional efforts 
and assistance for power projects and markets, both on- 
and off-grid, in sub-Saharan Africa and partner with other 
national government, private investors and local institu-
tions in sub-Saharan Africa to increase access to reliable, 
affordable, and sustainable power in sub-Saharan Africa, 
including through— 
(1) maximizing the number of people with new 
access to power and electricity services; 
(2) improving and expanding the generation, 
transmission, and distribution of power; 
(3) provide reliable electricity to people and 
businesses in urban and rural communities; 
(4) addressing the energy needs of people living 
in areas where there is little or no access to a power 
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grid and developing cogent plans to systematically 
increase coverage in rural areas; 
(5) reducing transmission and distribution 
losses and improving end-use efficiency and demand- 
side management; 
(6) reducing energy-related impediments to 
business productivity and investment; and 
(7) building the capacity of countries in sub-Sa-
haran Africa to monitor and appropriately and 
transparently regulate the power sector and encour-
age private investment in power production and dis-
tribution. 
(b) 
EFFECTIVENESS
MEASUREMENT.—In 
prioritizing and expediting institutional efforts and assist-
ance pursuant to this section, as appropriate, the United 
States Government agencies described in subsection (a) 
shall use clear, accountable, and metric-based targets to 
measure the effectiveness of such guarantees and assist-
ance in achieving the policies described in section 101. 
Each United States Government agency described in sub-
section (a) that provides financing or assistance to an elec-
tricity generation or transmission project pursuant to this 
Act, the Power Africa program, or the African Clean En-
ergy Financing Initiative shall make available to the public 
in an accessible digital format the development impacts 
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of each such project, utilizing quantifiable metrics to 
measure the increase in energy access at the individual 
household, enterprise, and community level. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to authorize modifying or limiting 
the portfolio of United States Government agencies de-
scribed in subsection (a) with respect to other developing 
regions. 
SEC. 104. LEVERAGING INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the strategy de-
scribed in section 102, the President should direct the 
United States representatives to appropriate international 
bodies to use the influence of the United States, consistent 
with the broad development goals of the United States, 
to advocate that each such body— 
(1) commit to significantly increase efforts to 
promote investment in well-designed power sector 
and electrification projects in sub-Saharan Africa 
that increase energy access, in partnership with the 
private sector and consistent with the host countries’ 
absorptive capacity; 
(2) coordinate and cooperate with United States 
Government agencies described in section 103(a); 
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(3) address energy needs of individuals and 
communities where access to an electricity grid is 
impractical or cost-prohibitive; 
(4) enhance coordination with the private sector 
in sub-Saharan Africa to increase access to elec-
tricity; 
(5) provide technical assistance to the regu-
latory authorities of sub-Saharan African govern-
ments to remove unnecessary barriers to investment 
in otherwise commercially viable projects; and 
(6) utilize clear, accountable, and metric-based 
targets to measure the effectiveness of such projects. 
(b) 
INTERNATIONAL
SUPPORT.—The 
President 
should direct the heads of the United States Government 
agencies described in section 103(a) to coordinate assist-
ance and financing with appropriate international bodies. 
SEC. 105. PROGRESS REPORT. 
Not later than 3 years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the President shall transmit to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
a report on progress made toward achieving the strategy 
described in section 102 and providing the financing and 
assistance describing in section 103 that includes the fol-
lowing: 
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(1) A report on United States programs sup-
porting implementation of policy and legislative 
changes leading to increased power generation and 
access in sub-Saharan Africa, including a description 
of the number, type, and status of policy, regulatory, 
and legislative changes initiated or implemented as 
a result of programs funded or supported by the 
United States in countries in sub-Saharan Africa to 
support increased power generation and access after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) A description of power projects receiving 
United States Government support and how such 
projects, including off-grid efforts, are intended to 
achieve the strategy described in section 102. 
(3) For each project described in paragraph 
(2)— 
(A) a description of how the project fits 
into, or encourages modifications of, the na-
tional energy plan of the country in which the 
project will be carried out, including encour-
aging regulatory reform in that country; 
(B) an estimate of the total cost of the 
project to the consumer, the country in which 
the project will be carried out, and other inves-
tors; 
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(C) the amount of financing provided or 
guaranteed by the United States Government 
for the project; 
(D) an estimate of United States Govern-
ment resources for the project, itemized by 
funding source, including from the Millennium 
Challenge Corporation, the United States Trade 
and Development Agency, the Overseas Private 
Investment Corporation, the United States 
Agency for International Development, the De-
partment of the Treasury, or other appropriate 
United States Government departments and 
agencies; 
(E) an estimate of the number of individ-
uals, communities, businesses, schools, and 
health facilities that have gained power connec-
tions as a result of the project, with a descrip-
tion of how the reliability, affordability, and 
sustainability of power has been improved as of 
the date of the report; 
(F) an assessment of the increase in the 
number of people and businesses with access to 
electricity, and in the operating electrical power 
capacity in megawatts as a result of the project 
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(A) the Committee on Appropriations and 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Appropriations and 
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate. 
Æ 
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