4 November 2014: As part of the Connecting the Americas 2022 Initiative (‘Connect 2022’), the Mesoamerican Energy Investment Summit was organized to attract investments in the region’s energy sector and demonstrate progress on regional integration. The Summit celebrated the recent completion of the Central American Electricity Interconnection System (SIEPAC) and opportunities created by the increased electricity trade and new interconnections.

The Summit was hosted by Otto Pérez Molina, President of Guatemala, and the Guatemalan Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) on 4 November 2014 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. In opening the Summit, Pérez Molina explained how his country’s Energy Policy 2013-2027 will contribute to ensuring the entire population has access to power by 2030. He further emphasized Guatemala’s cooperation with countries in the region to advance “clean, renewable and environmentally-friendly energy.”

At the Summit, participants discussed opportunities for transnational investment in infrastructure projects, energy system integration across the region and promoting natural gas as a lower cost fuel, particularly for heavy manufacturing. Mexican Minister of Energy Joaquín Coldwell noted the “pivotal” opportunity energy provides for regional integration. Connect 2022 seeks to capitalize on the economies of scale, expansion of power markets, lower electricity prices and increased renewables integration that interconnection among countries facilitates.

Energy policymakers from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama attended the Summit, along with a US delegation and other energy officials, regulators and business representatives. The Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), US Department of State, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and World Bank partnered with Guatemala in organizing the Summit.

Connect 2022 seeks to provide universal access to electricity in the Western hemisphere by 2022 through renewable energy development, power sector investment, enhanced electrical interconnection and cooperation. [Government of Guatemala Press Release, 4 November 2014] [Government of Guatemala Press Release, 27 October 2014] [US Department of State Commentary] [ECPA Press Release] [US Department of State Press Release] [Information on Connect 2022]