Albania: Some of the reforms such as in energy and pensions are showing encouraging results-Pagano – (Balkans) Patrizio Pagano, the new Executive Director, representing Albania in the World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors, visited the country from March 24-27, 2015. The purpose of the visit was to meet with high level authorities to assure them of continuous cooperation and support for Albania’s efforts to enhance growth, reduce poverty and increase shared prosperity…

Bulgaria

Bulgaria Coalition Partners to Back Ivan Ivanov as Energy Committee Head – (Novinite) The main coalition partners in Bulgaria's government have agreed to support the candidacy of Ivan Ivanov, an energy expert and former lawmaker, to take over the national energy regulator KEVR…

Plevneliev, Djukanovic Discuss Projects to Increase Energy, Transport Connections – (Novinite) President Rosen Plevneliev told Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic that the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans was a foreign policy priority issue for Bulgaria…

Bulgaria works for introducing the European Energy Union in South-eastern Europe: President – (Focus) Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev met on Monday, March 30, with Josip Leko, Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, the press centre of the President’s Office announced.  During the meeting the Bulgarian head of state outlined that Bulgaria works for introducing the European Energy Union in South-eastern Europe…

Construction of Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria May Start in March 2016 – (Novinite) The construction of the second Bulgaria-Greece gas pipeline interconnection (IGB Pipeline) may start in March 2016, according to reports of Bulgaria’s Energy Ministry.  The recent developments on the project for the gas pipeline connecting Greece’s Komotini to Bulgaria’s Stara Zagora were announced after a meeting of Bulgaria’s Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova with the Greek-Italian consortium IGI POSEIDON S.A…

EU to back gas interconnection Serbia-Bulgaria – (B92) This was announced on Thursday by Head of Economic Section of the EU Delegation to Serbia Freek Janmaat.  Serbia has at its disposal around EUR 200 million a year from the EU's funds for energy projects, Janmaat said at a forum on the region's energy perspectives held in Belgrade…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia’s Jan gross electricity output up 2.5% y/y – (SeeNews) Bosnia’s gross electricity output rose 2.5% on the year to 1,577 GWh in January, data of the country's statistics office indicated on Wednesday…

Croatia

Austria, Slovenia, Croatia discuss energy cooperation amid row over nuclear power – (Shanghai Daily) Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann met with his Croatian and Slovenian counterparts as well as European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic on Saturday for talks on energy cooperation…

Croatia vote fails to halt Istria power plant – (Turkish Weekly) Although the majority people who voted in an advisory referendum in the Labin region of Istria opposed plans for a new coal-fired thermal power plant, the project is to go ahead…

Kosovo

EBRD to help Kosovo capital's infrastructure, energy efficency projects – (dtt-net) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the City of Prishtina signed Memorandum of Understanding to enhance efficiency and services, which include urban transport, water and wastewater services, solid waste management, street lights as well as energy efficiency for public buildings such as schools, hospitals and administrative buildings…

Kosovo plans 36 mln euro power network upgrade tenders – EBRD – (SeeNews) Kosovo plans to launch five procurements, part of a 36 million euro ($39 million) project which will enable KOSTT, the electricity transmission system operator, achieve full compliance with the N-1 electricity transmission grid security criteria, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said…

EU makes W. Balkans ministers sit together in Kosovo on energy, highways, railways interconnectivity projects – (dtt-net) A joint meeting between the Western Balkans countries initiated by the EU was held today in Kosovan capital of Prishtina, with Serbia’s ministers present as well, on multiple joint infrastructure projects across the region aimed at better interconnectivity between the countries of the Balkans and with the EU at the same time…

Macedonia

FYR Macedonia's renewable energy potential is underutilized – (Balkans) The investors in renewable energy sources capacities should focus on realisation of projects without wasting time on administrative procedures, but the state to carry out the procedures instead of them,  (FYR) Mcaedonia's Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski said…

Energy Community regulators to participate in EU’s Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators – (Energy Community) Following an initiative by the Secretariat, the European Commission and the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) have clarified the conditions for the participation of Contracting Parties' national regulatory agencies as observers in the Board of Regulators of ACER. This will yield a better and more efficiently linked institutional set-up within the internal energy market governed by the Third Energy Package…

Montenegro

Official: State-owned MVM could enter Montenegrin energy market – (BBJ) Hungarian state-owned energy group MVM is considering entering the Montenegrin gas and electricity market as part of the privatisation process there, state secretary for economic diplomacy Levente Magyar said after a meeting of the Hungarian-Montenegrin Intergovernment, Joint Economic Committee that took place in Budapest yesterday…

Romania

Romanian heat network modernisation continues with new gas engine project – (Cogeneration) Bucharest continues to develop its programme of modernising district heat networks in Romania with the launch of a GE-led municipal gas district heat system in Brasov.  What is Romania’s largest municipal gas engine district heating investment entails four CHP plants, comprising 11 Jenbacher Type 6 gas engines, producing 42 MW of Power and 38 MW of Heat…

Deepwater Black Sea, shale top Romania’s oil, gas agenda – (E&P) Romania is proud of the history of its petroleum industry. The country is officially recognized as the first to produce oil in the world in 1857—two years before the Drake well was drilled in Pennsylvania. Bucharest was the first capital in the world to be lit by kerosene…

Romania reconnects nuclear reactor to grid after maintenance – (Reuters) Romanian state-owned nuclear power producer Nuclearelectrica reconnected its first nuclear reactor to the national power grid on Sunday after two-day maintenance works, the company said on Monday…

Romania: Shortcut To Power Supply And Trading Activities For EU Operators – (Mondaq) An updated regulation on the licensing regime in Romania's power sector was recently adopted by ANRE, the national regulatory authority. On 17 March 2015, Order no. 12/2015 on the Regulation for granting licenses and authorizations in the electricity sector ("Order 12"), effective as of publication, was published in the Romanian Official Gazette no. 180/2015 and repeals the former regulation, ie Order no. 48/2013…

Serbia

Serbian Government Grants Reservoir Energy Permits for Brodarevo Hydroelectric Projects – (AZO) Reservoir Capital Corp., ("Reservoir" or the "Company") is pleased to report that the Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia, has granted new Energy Permits for the Company's Brodarevo 1 and Brodarevo 2 hydroelectric projects on the Lim River in southwest Serbia…

EU To Back Serbia-Bulgaria Gas Interconnection – (inNews) Serbia has at its disposal around EUR 200 million a year from the EU’s funds for energy projects, Janmaat said at the forum on the region’s energy perspectives held in Belgrade…

Serbia facing price struggle as market liberalizes – (Interfax) Serbia is pushing ahead with plans to liberalise its gas market this year. But keeping consumer costs manageable while implementing urgent reforms is the key challenge facing policymakers in Belgrade, who are under pressure to prove they are serious about complying with the EU’s Third Energy Package…

Armenia

Energy System Boost: WB to support power supply reliability in Armenia – (ArmeniaNow) Armenia will receive $52 million from the World Bank for the repairs of two 220 kW substations, Laura E. Bailey, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia, said.  The program implies the capital repairs of two major 220-kW substations: Ashnak (in Armenia’s Aragatsotn province) was built in 1983 and serves about 120,000 customers, the Yerevan Thermal Power Plant (TPP) was built in 1965 and serves about 1 million, 40 thousand people…

Armenia to improve electronic communication network with World Bank’s $52 million dollar loan – (Armenpress) The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank has approved the provision of a $52 million dollar loan to Armenia…

Gazprom Armenia to invest 1.3 billion drams in expansion of underground gas storage facility – (ARKA) Armenia’s Russian-owned national gas distribution company Gazprom Armenia will invest 1.322 billion drams in the expansion of the capacity of the Abovyan underground gas storage facility, a senior official of the company, Ashot Hakobyan, said today at a meeting of the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC), which approved the company’s 2015 investment program worth 11 billion drams…

WB approves $52mln project to boost power supply reliability in Armenia – (PanArmenian) The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$52 million loan for the Electricity Transmission Network Improvement Project (ETNIP) for Armenia…

World Bank helps to further strengthen power supply reliability in Armenia – (PanoramaAM) The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a US$52 million loan for the Electricity Transmission Network Improvement Project (ETNIP) for Armenia. The new project will improve the reliability of the power transmission network and system management, and support the Government’s efforts in ensuring adequate electricity supply across the country, the World Bank said in a press release…

Azerbaijan

Europe Looks to Caspian as Gazprom Alternative – (Silk Road Reporters) It’s a widely acknowledged problem that the European Union has painted itself into dependency on Russian energy imports, as Russia’s gas export monopoly Gazprom now supplies more than one-third of Europe’s oil and slightly less than 30 percent of its natural gas…

Azerbaijan praised for renewable energy strategy ahead of solar conference – (Azernews) Oil-producing nations must increase their investment in renewable energy merely “to survive”, a solar energy conference in the Azerbaijan capital Baku will be told next month.  Former German MP Hans-Josef Fell, president of the Energy Watch Group and the author of his nation’s landmark renewable energy policy, said ahead of the CISOLAR 2015 conference there is “no risk for investors in renewables” and he has praised Azerbaijan’s solar strategy…

EU: There was good progress on EU’s Strategic Energy Partnership with Azerbaijan last year – (APA) “There was good progress on the EU’s Strategic Energy Partnership with Azerbaijan to improve European energy security and the diversification of energy supplies in 2014,” says the progress report on implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy, adopted by the European Commission and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, APA reports…

Azerbaijan’s non-oil sectors to be key to its sustainable development – (Azernews) 2015 marks the fifth year of TBY presence in Azerbaijan. What have been the most significant macro-economic trends and structural developments that you have observed across these five years…

U.S. remains strong supporter of Azerbaijan in its efforts to diversify Europe's energy supply – Ambassador – (APA) On March 24, 2015, the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC), based in Washington, D.C., hosted a formal reception to welcome the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert F. Cekuta, the US Embassy in Azerbaijan told APA…

"Southern Gas Corridor" extremely important for EU – (Azernews) The "Southern Gas Corridor" is extremely important for the European Union, according to an annual report of the European Union on the progress of Azerbaijan within European Neighborhood Policy…

Brussels preparing European companies for Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline talks – (Cihan) Brussels is preparing the European oil and gas companies for talks with Turkmenistan’s gas concern, the Turkmengas, for a project on construction of the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline, according to the Western media outlets…

Americans to Build New Refinery in Azerbaijan – (USACC) A subsidiary of Fluor Corp. will manage the construction of Azerbaijan's new $16.5 billion oil, gas and petrochemicals processing plant…

Georgia

Details of Georgia’s first wind farm revealed – (Agenda.GE) Georgia’s is preparing to utilise its wind energy potential through the creation of the country’s first wind farm.  The inaugural wind power plant will include two turbines and is expected to be operational by next spring. The plant is earmarked to be built between Georgia’s capital city Tbilisi and nearby Gori, a small city in eastern Georgia, and produce 20-MW of power per year, announced Georgian officials today…

Georgia doesn't forecast building Khudoni Hydro Power Plant in 2015 – (Azernews) Georgia doesn't forecast the start of building of the Khudoni Hydro Power Plant, said the country's Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze, Georgia-Online reported.  Kaladze told journalists that following the governmental meeting, first the preparatory work must be carried out…

Moldova

Ponta: Romania continues projects with Moldova as long as their will is to go towards Europe – (ACT Media) Romania will continue all projects established with the former Chisinau government led by Iurie Leanca as long as Moldova’s wish to go towards Europe, towards Romania , to a democratic, European society continues, said premier Victor Ponta on Thursday…

The EU "Energy and Biomass II" project started its activities in the communities in the South of the Republic of Moldova – (AEE) 20 villages and small towns from the Southern region of the Republic of Moldova and ATU Gagauz Yeri have passed through the first selection stage of the competition to have public institutions connected to biomass heating systems at the expense of the European funds provided by the Energy and Biomass Project…

Turkey

Massive power blackouts hit Turkish cities – (Hurriyet Daily News)Scores of provinces in Turkey suffered a massive power cut on March 31 for an unknown reason, bringing to a halt mass transportation, hospitals and production for several hours…

Turkey experiencing electricity blackout – (World Bulletin) Turkey is currently experiencing electricity outages in many regions due to problems that occurred in the transmission lines, Turkish Electricity Transmission Company, TEIAS officials said early Tuesday…

Istanbulites react calmly to electricity blackout – (Anadolu Agency) Residents of Istanbul, Turkey’s busiest metropolis, have mostly reacted calmly to a general power cut which hit more than 40 provinces across the country on Tuesday.  “There was no panic,” a security officer waiting outside a tramway station in Istanbul’s busy Cevizlibag interchange told an Anadolu Agency reporter…

Turkey power outage shuts down public transportation and half of provinces – (The Guardian) A huge power cut has caused chaos and shut down public transport on Tuesday across Turkey, with the government refusing to rule out that the electricity system had been the victim of an attack…

Power outage hits much of Turkey; officials won't rule out terrorism – (CNN) A massive power outage spread across Turkey on Tuesday, blacking out a broad swath of the country and affecting some flights.  Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said all possible causes were under investigation, including terrorism…

Terrorist attack investigated as power cut stops Turkey in its tracks – (The Sydney Morning Herald) Istanbul: A massive power cut has caused chaos across Turkey, shutting down the metro networks in Istanbul and the capital Ankara, with the government saying an outside attack on the system was not ruled out…

Major Power Outage Darkens Dozens Of Cities In Turkey – (NPR) A massive power outage hit dozens of Turkish cities and provinces today, bringing public transportation services to a halt, and disrupting businesses that have no backup power…

Explained: How 76 million people were hit by Turkey’s worst blackout since 1999 – (Hurriyet Daily News) At 10:36 a.m., a massive blackout hit Turkey. Out of the 81 Turkish provinces, electricity was not totally cut only in the eastern province of Van, which receives some of its energy from Iran. In total, more than 76 million citizens were affected in one way or another…

Turkish electricity and gas prices in 2014 – (Anadolu Agency) Household consumers paid on average 37.4 kurus ($0.142) per kilowatt hour of electricity in 2014, the Turkish Statistical Institute announced on Monday.  Industrial consumers paid on average 23.6 kurus ($0.09) per kWh electricity…

Turkey’s 2015 national coal policy – (Turkish Weekly) Whereas coal constitutes a 25% share of the global energy supply market, second only to petroleum, it is first in the global electricity generation market, with a share of 40%. Locally, coal ranks first with a 40% share in the primary energy generation market, but fourth in the electricity generation market, with a 16% share…

Gazprom buys South Stream shares from Eni, EDF and Wintershall – (EurActiv) Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom has bought the shares of its European partner companies in the South Stream gas pipeline company, namely Eni, EDF and Wintershall, for approximately $1 billion, thus becoming sole owner of the defunct pipeline…

Turkey: Top economist calls for focus on energy security – (Anadolu Agency) The International Energy Agency needs repositioning on energy security related issues, the agency’s top executive said in Ankara Monday.  "The importance of energy security will increase in the international political agenda (because of the ongoing crises in the world)," Fatih Birol, who is currently the chief economist at the 29 member strong agency, said…

Top economist calls for focus on energy security – (Turkish Weekly) The International Energy Agency needs repositioning on energy security related issues, the agency’s top executive said in Ankara Monday. "The importance of energy security will increase in the international political agenda (because of the ongoing crises in the world)…

Ukraine

Ukraine could face severe power shortages by end of 2015 – (UAToday) Ukraine is experiencing an acute shortage of thermal coal due to hostilities in the Donbas, and by the end of 2015 may be left facing severe power shortages…

Ukraine and Poland agree to push for integrated grids – (WNN) Energoatom, Ukrenergo and Polenergia have signed a memorandum of understanding on a project to export electricity via European grids. Energoatom which operates all of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, said the agreement will make it possible to use all its available nuclear capacity and attract funds for the completion of the third and fourth reactors of its Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant…

The Big Mistake Ukraine Is Making on Energy – (The Wall Street Journal) Ukraine is facing a huge energy-security challenge. It is dependent on Russia supplying most of its natural gas as well as uranium fuel for its nuclear reactors.  Under these circumstances, a responsible government would develop a policy aimed at encouraging domestic hydrocarbon exploration and production. Instead, the government of Ukraine is doing the opposite: It is promulgating ill-conceived, anti-market policies that are set to kill domestic production…

Ukraine power grid electricity output down 13.9% through Feb. 28 – (Ukrainian Journal) Ukraine's integrated power grids decreased electricity output by 13.9% or by 4.847 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) year-over-year in January and February 2015, to 30.04 billion kWh, an Energy and Coal Industry Ministry source told Interfax-Ukraine…

Demchyshyn hopes emergency measures in electricity market will be extended – (Interfax-Ukraine) The Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Volodymyr Demchyshyn hopes that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will decide to extend emergency measures in the electricity market for another month at its next meeting…

Energomarket pays feed-in tariffs in full as of March 25 – (Kyiv Post) Starting from March 25, 2015, state-run Energomarket company pays feed-in tariffs for electricity generated from renewable sources in full, converting them at a forex rate of Hr 32-34 per euro, member of the National Commission of Ukraine for Energy and Housing and Utility Services Regulation (NCER) Andriy Herus said in Kyiv on March 26…

Coal supplies from Donbas could be 500,000 tonnes in April – Demchyshyn – (Interfax-Ukraine) Ukraine has managed to coordinate supplies of anthracite coal from areas of Donbas which are not under control of the Ukrainian authorities, and in April the amount of coal could be up to 500,000 tonnes, Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn has said…

Ukrainian households face price hikes in utilities – (UT) Ukrainian households are facing a spike in utility rates as the government continues to follow through on IMF bailout requirements. The government plans to gradually introduce several stages of the increases until 2017…

IEA leads energy efficiency training courses in Ukraine – (Hydrocarbon Engineering) Ukraine has one of the most energy intensive economies in the world, and new reforms to foster sustainable economic development and enhance energy security include large increases in utility tariffs that are very likely to encourage cuts in consumption in the residential sector…

Demchyshyn says Ukraine will not pay for Russian gas supplies to self-proclaimed republics – (Kyiv Post) Ukraine will not pay for Russian gas which Russia will supply to the territories of self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn has said…

Ukraine expects sign gas memorandum with Russia by April 14 - energy minister – (Daily Mail) Ukraine expects to sign with Russia a memorandum on gas supplies by April 14 that will run until the end of March 2016, Ukrainian Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said in a briefing on Wednesday…

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