US Hydropower to Play a Critical Role in World Summit on Sustainable Development

 US Hydropower has been asked to coordinate with the Bush Administration, US Department of State, and USAID to discuss private sector issues at the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development.  Hydropower is expected to play a critical role because of its unique ability to address the sustainable development of energy and water infrastructure. 

US Hydropower believes that industry activities will greatly enhance foreign government efforts to supply the ancillary benefits of water development and energy to rural and urban areas.  Hydropower’s unique qualities offer tremendous benefits to the developing world.  The private sector cannot operate alone.  Macro development planning and governance issues will require a government to government relationship working with the finance community and the private sector to most efficiently develop water resources and the competing benefits that hydropower can provide.  In developing countries where the cost of irrigation and water supply for multipurpose projects in most cases cannot be recovered from the local poor population, the revenue stream created by the sale of hydropower offers unique opportunities to solve development needs.  In order to work at the macro government level, the industry will need the support of the US Government, and believes that this partnership embraces the goals of global sustainable development.