The U.S. Government-supported Hydropower Investment Promotion Project (HIPP) held a two-day Cross-Border Electricity Trading Conference to promote private sector led development of the Georgian clean energy industry on May 15 and 16, 2013  in Tbilisi. U.S. Embassy Chargé d'affaires Bridget Brink and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia Kakha Kaladze made remarks to open the conference. 

The HIPP project, implemented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through Deloitte Consulting, supports the Government of Georgia to attract investment from the private sector in modern, efficient hydropower plants.  Since March, 2010, HIPP has supported market-based initiatives to promote and secure international investments into Georgia’s small and medium-sized hydroelectric power market. 

The conference helped to enhance the potential for regional electricity trade, thereby contributing to economic and social development, and energy security. These partnerships and improvements in power generation and transmission will benefit Georgians, and the broader Caucasus region as a whole.