United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Energy Capacity Initiative (ECI) is a project designed to enhance Georgia’s energy security and aims to improve operational capacity of the energy sector.

Project’s objective is to improve skills level among Georgian policy makers to enable them take full advantage of Georgia’s potential as an energy producer, as an energy corridor north to south, and an east to west energy trade hub. 

The project seeks to address longer term root causes of the skills gap and aims to improve the operational as well as management skills in state-owned and private energy companies and NGOs.
Project promotes the capacity to formulate a sound national energy security policy and action strategy to counteract the large energy-dependence on other sources both in Government and non-governmental sectors.

Activity 1: Policy Analysis and Dialogue

ECI provides support to NGOs, think tanks and universities to carry out independent energy policy analysis and stimulate public understanding and consideration of important policy issues to ensure greater accountability and better decision-making in Government. This is accomplished through providing direct grants, as well as by providing technical assistance and trainings on targeted energy matters

Activity 2: Higher Education Programs to Supply a Professional Workforce for the Energy Sector

Program supports masters level education and professional certificate programs that satisfy the professional workforce development needs of the energy sector, through developing long and medium term programs to partially fill the gap in professional skills, particularly in general management, technical management, project management and policy development and regulation skills.

Task 3: Integration into European and Black Sea/Caspian Energy Markets

ECI supports the familiarization of Ministry of Energy and GNERC Commissioners with EU Energy Laws and Regulations through supporting the attendance of the Government of Georgia at meetings of the Athens Energy Community, Ministerial Council, the Permanent High Level Group of Deputy Ministers, the Electricity and the Gas Forum, as well as providing technical assistance and on-the-job trainings on the terms and conditions applicable to full signatories of EU Directives on Electricity, Natural Gas and the Environment.

Grants Program. Energy Capacity Initiative has launched its grants program, which addresses important energy sector issues. Under the program, ECI provides direct grants to nongovernmental organizations, think tanks and universities to undertake research and analysis to assist the Government of Georgia in addressing critical energy sector issues. Click on the link for further information.

Energy Scholarship Program. To improve the capacity of the energy sector by increasing the quality of the workforce, ECI is implementing scholarship programs. This important component of the ECI program relates to the education and training of Georgia’s energy sector professionals. ECI encourages individuals working in, or interested in working in, Georgia’s energy sector by awarding scholarships to further education in the field. Click on the link for further information.

Education Program. Energy Capacity Initiative Higher Education Grants Program is assisting in the development of graduate-level energy education programs. This program was available for public and private accredited universities that already have graduate degree programs to develop sustainable graduate-level energy programs (Master’s Degree programs, Concentrations, etc.) which would meet the needs of Georgia’s energy sector. Click on the link for further information.

ECI is a collaborative effort between USAID and the Government of the Republic of Georgia.