For developing countries, a stable and secure supply of electricity is crucial for development, and for their populations' well-being. Since the early 1990s, the main mechanism for constructing power generation facilities in developing countries has been the independent power project (IPP) model, where a foreign investor enters into long term investment contracts with the national utility. This model has succeeded in attracting investment, but raises complex regulatory and contractual challenges in addition to public concerns.

This book - drawing on project contracts, the...