Mekong - U.S. Partnership
The Japan-U.S.-Mekong Power Partnership (JUMPP) supports the Mekong region’s pursuit of energy security while encouraging greater regional power trade and integration. Through JUMPP, the United States and Japan partner with MUSP nations to promote a more sustainable energy sector and quality energy infrastructure development. U.S. technical assistance in coordination with Japan supports Mekong electricity regulatory and system development by working with national and regional market authorities on reliably integrating renewable energy, and opportunities for private investment.
JUMPP enhances regional power trade and integration throughout MUSP through free, open, stable, rules-based electricity markets. Through its investment forums, JUMPP also promotes private sector input and contribution to develop stronger energy infrastructure.
JUMPP identifies ideal locations for cross-border infrastructure and matches resource concentrations with demand centers. In addition, it helps optimize existing transmission and distribution networks, improving resilience, reliability, and energy security in the region. JUMPP conducts feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, and highlights capabilities of Mekong countries to conduct feasibility work to international standards.
Mekong countries are rapidly integrating renewable energy projects that require technical assistance for modernizing regulations, market mechanisms, and for maintaining system stability and reliability. Individually and through MUSP consultations, Mekong countries have consistently emphasized their individual and collective needs for expanded support to manage the variability of renewable energy generation and the associated grid balancing and additional challenges associated with renewable energy deployment. Expanding renewable energy generation capacity across the Mekong helps diversify the region’s electricity mix and reduce reliance on hydropower capacity. MUSP provides Mekong countries with a wide range of technical, commercial, and regulatory support to create solvent, reliable, transparent, and sustainable power sectors. This helps promote sound power sector governance, enhances grid reliability, optimizes power markets, and improves energy efficiency. Leveraging these capabilities alongside Japanese capacity building helps ensure that key market actors have the technical capabilities and human capital required to manage the complexities of a modern, regional integrated power grid.
