The proposed Technical Cooperation (TC) will support the Government of Ecuador (GoE), through the Ministry of Energy and non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR for its Spanish acronym), to secure and advance quality and efficiency of power infrastructure by strengthening the supervision capacity, implementation of resilient measures for works in the projects and enhancement of energy efficiency in agroindustry included in the following loan operations: (i) Supporting the Advancement of Energy Matrix Transition in Ecuador , EC-L1223, co-financed project with JICA under the CORE scheme; which allows continuity to the reinforcement and expansion projects of the National Transmission System (SNT for its Spanish acronym) and the National Distribution System (SND for its Spanish acronym), reinforcing the national transmission infrastructure for greater energy exchange in the region; facilitating the priority use of electricity in the agroindustry sector, through the reinforcement and expansion of the SND; propitiating the increase of the level of electric coverage in the country ; promoting the implementation of energy efficiency projects; and implementing a strategy to promote gender equality in the electricity sector, and (ii) Program for the Reconstruction of Electricity Infrastructure in Areas Affected by the Earthquake in Ecuador, EC-L1219, whose objective is to contribute by improving the living conditions of the population settled in the areas affected by the earthquake of April 16, 2016 in the country, supporting a plan for the reconstruction of the electrical system, based on resilient infrastructure standards, to reduce the time response of the sector, in the face of natural disasters in the areas affected by the earthquake. The specific objectives of the TC are: (i) to support MERNNR in the supervision of transmission and distribution projects, throughout the entire life cycle (including the design, procurement and execution stages); (ii) Adoption of competences in energy efficiency projects, applied to the public and private electric sector; (iii) to support the Ecuadorian Government in promoting the inclusion of a regulatory framework, technical norms and procedures to incorporate, in the electric system, an infrastructure designed under resilience and earthquake resistance concepts, according to the recent experience of the earthquake in Ecuador (iv) support in the adaptation and homologation to seismic conditions, of technical specifications and costs for construction, equipment and materials for the transmission and distribution systems; (v) support the shrimp agroindustry in the transition to the national electricity grid and in the development of training plans for management, socio-environmental and procurement, from a resiliency stand-point; and (vi) Strengthening of distribution companies, through the dissemination of knowledge acquired in energy efficiency practices and in resilient electrical design concepts.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF IADB

The Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism (MICI) is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) or Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC)-funded project. If you submit a complaint to MICI, they may assist you in addressing the problems you raised through a dispute-resolution process with those implementing the project and/or through an investigation to assess whether the IDB or IIC is following its own policies for preventing or mitigating harm to people or the environment. You can submit a complaint by sending an email to MICI@iadb.org. You can learn more about the MICI and how to file a complaint at http://www.iadb.org/en/mici/mici,1752.html (in English) or http://www.iadb.org/es/mici/mici,1752.html (Spanish).