Europe & Eurasia Energy News Articles for April 19, 2013
April 19th, 2013
Energy Technology and Governance Program
Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region. Click on the links for access to original publications.
Albania
Albania firms support for TAP project - (UPI) The pace at which the Albanian government has thrown its weight behind the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline is impressive, the project's managing director said...
Albanian parliament ratifies Host Government Agreement between Albania and TAP - (Trend) The Albanian Parliament has unanimously ratified the Host Government Agreement (HGA) between the Government of Albania and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, TAP reported...
HGA signed and finalised for TAP - (Pipelines) The Albanian Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project have signed the Host Government Agreement (HGA), formally agreeing the terms of engagement for the Southern Gas Corridor pipeline’s future delivery...
Energy Community Sets Up Competition Network - (Mondaq) On November 23 2012 a seminar on competition law enforcement in the energy sector held at the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna saw the creation of the Energy Community Competition Network...
Tao puts feather in natural gas cap - (UPI) The Environmental Ministry in Albania has signed off on an environmental assessment of the planned Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, the project consortium said...
Bulgaria
Bulgarian Regulator to Make Additional Checks on CEZ - (Bloomberg) Bulgaria’s energy regulator will make additional checks during the next two months before ruling on whether to cancel the power-distribution license of CEZ AS (CEZ), the biggest Czech utility...
Raiffeisenbank, EBRD sign on sustainable energy in Bulgaria - (New Europe) The Bulgarian branch of the Austrian Raiffeisenbank has signed a second line of credit with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), allowing it to expand financing for sustainable energy investment by private companies in Bulgaria...
Bulgaria's Energy Watchdog Chair Vows Equal Treatment of Large, Small Companies - (Novinite) Bulgaria's State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR) treats all energy and water and sewerage companies it monitors the same way, regardless of their size, according to Evgenia Haritonova, Chair of the energy watchdog...
Ramboll to advise Bulgaria on waste-to-energy - (The Construction Index) The contract for Toplofikacia Sofia is part of Bulgaria’s overall strategy to make itself less dependent on gas supplies from Russia and reduce CO2 emissions...
Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission to hold open meeting about CEZ licenses - (Focus) Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission is to hold an open meeting to discuss the licenses of CEZ power distribution company...
Bulgaria's energy regulator will continue probe into CEZ license for another 2 months - (Balkans)Bulgaria's energy regulator said it had to investigate further before deciding whether to strip Czech utility CEZ of its power distribution licenses over allegations of inefficiency and would not decide for at least two months, Reuters reported...
CEZ Bulgaria’s Energy Ombudsman discusses services improvement with Pleven mayor - (Focus) First Energy Ombudsman of CEZ power distribution company in Bulgaria, Radoslav Dimitrov, met with subscribers in the Bulgarian town of Pleven in the frames of the Days of Open Doors, held at the client’s service centre of the company in the town, the press office of the CEZ announced...
Bulgaria’s Social Assistance Agency starts accepting applications for single energy aid -(Focus) Bulgarian Social Assistance Agency starts accepting applications for single energy aid for people with low incomes. The applications for an energy aid of BGN 65.72 can be filed by people, who surpass the differentiated minimum income for heating with up to BGN 10 and did not file applications during the previous campaign...
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Stability key factor for prosperity, energy representatives say - (The Daily News) Stability, backed with strong finances and innovative technologies, is the key factor for a prosperous energy market, especially in the Caucasus and Caspian Sea region, leading energy figures said yesterday during the 16th Eurasian Economic Summit’s session on energy...
UNDP assists Bosnia Herzegovina with legal framework fro biomass heating - (Balkans) UNDP project "Employment and secure energy supply for the use of biomass in Bosnia and Herzegovina" and the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia has made a significant contribution to the establishment of the legal framework in the field of biomass heating...
Croatia
Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine and Armenia - established Energy Community network - (Balkans) On November 23 2012 a seminar on competition law enforcement in the energy sector held at the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna saw the creation of the Energy Community Competition Network...
The beginning of the new integration in the Balkans?- (New Eastern Europe) The term Yugosphere emerged relatively recently, and was first used by a British journalist, Tim Judah, in 2009 when talking about the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which included Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia...
Croatia’s INA: pumped up - (Beyondbrics) A $400m credit deal signed by Croatian energy company INA gives it the opportunity to push ahead with long-term growth plans while also providing a welcome vote of confidence in the country’s economy...
Romania
ROMANIA POWER UPDATE: Lower power export fees? + regional round-up - (Info-Econ) Romania's energy market regulator ANRE decided to wave the extraction tariff [TL, RON 11.46 or EUR 2.6 per MWh on average] for the exporters of electricity, AFEER announced...
Romania to sell minority package in Nuclearelectrica on the stock market in May - (Romania Insider) After recently finalizing the secondary public offering for the state – owned Transgaz, the Romanian government wants to sell a 10 percent share package in another state company, Nuclearelectrica. The sale will happen after May 15, according to the Minister Delegate for Energy, Constantin Niţă...
Upcoming changes in renewables legislation in Romania - (ACC) The reduction of the current support scheme for renewables in Romania was intensely discussed by various Romanian officials over the past few months. Some of the main drives for such reduction include the constant increase in the electricity prices paid by end-consumers, the “battle” with the conventional producers forced to stop their capacities in order to allow the renewable output to be integrated in the system, technical limitations of the national electricity grid, etc...
Romanian state sells minority share package in Transgaz for EUR 72 million - (Romania Insider) The Romanian state sold the 15 percent share package in Transgaz, for EUR 72 million, during a secondary public offering. The sale price was of RON 179 per share, below the RON 197 per share closing price on Tuesday, April 16...
A dark cloud over clean energy investment - (Climate Spectator) New figures from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, released Friday, show that investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy-smart technologies fell sharply to $US40.6 billion in the first quarter of calendar 2013, making it the weakest quarter since 2009...
Another electricity price cut in Romania? - (Balkans) The local press quotes the head of the energy regulator saying there are strong demands from corporate gas consumers to postpone the price hikes for a year...
Nabucco West in talks to add new partners - (The Daily News) Shareholders in the planned Nabucco West pipeline to bring natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe are in talks to add at least one other European company to the project, the consortium’s managing director told Reuters, soothing dominance concerns...
Armenia
EU won’t fund alternative energy sources in Armenia in exchange for closing NPP, Latvian MP says - (ARKA) The European Union cannot provide Armenia with funds for alternative energy sources in exchange for shutting down Armenian nuclear power plant, member of Latvian parliament, chairman of the board of National association for democratic values and integration Nikolay Kabanov said at “Armenia: geopolitical and integration prospects” conference in Yerevan...
AUA Study: Mining in Armenia Creates Poverty, Income Inequality - (Armenia Weekly) While mining contributed to economic growth in Armenia between 2004-10, it simultaneously created income inequality and poverty, according to a recent study by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment (ACE), conducted in cooperation with the AUA College of Business and Economics (CBE)...
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has plenty of gas to fill two pipelines in long term - (Trend) The project's current shareholders are Bulgarian Energy Holding ... region via Greece and Albania and across the Adriatic Sea to southern Italy...
Nabucco, TAP battle it out for Azeri gas deal - (Zawya) Backers of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the Nabucco West Pipeline are competing for a piece of the 40 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves from the Shah Deniz field, located in the Caspian Sea and considered one of the world's largest gas-condensate plays...
FDI in Azerbaijan energy projects up in 2012 - (Azernews) Foreign direct investment, mainly in oil and gas projects, increased by more than 23 percent in Azerbaijan in 2012, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in a report published on Tuesday...
New Europe in Azerbaijan - (New Europe) Prof. Ali M. Hasanov (R), head of political and public affairs department at the Presidential Administration in McMahon: It's Unfair to Hold Azerbaijan to a Higher Standard Than Russia Azerbaijan, met last week with New Europe Media CEO Basil Coronakis in Baku...
McMahon: It's Unfair to Hold Azerbaijan to a Higher Standard Than Russia - (Roll Call) The signing into law last year of permanent normal trade relations with Russia is one of the successful diplomatic accomplishments of President Barack Obama’s first term...
Southern Gas Corridor project - culmination (Trend) The rapidly moving events around Nabucco West project and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) in recent days are related to the fact that very few time is left to think...
Pipeline transporting Caspian gas to ensure European supplies in long term prospect - (Trend) A new pipeline which will transport gas from the Caspian region will ensure gas supplies to Europe in the long term prospect, the international service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation swissinfo.ch reported with the reference to the spokesperson for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy Marianne Zünd...
Georgia
Georgian Energy Minister inspects Paravani HP construction - (Trend) On Wednesday the Minister of Energy of Georgia Kakha Kaladze inspected the Paravani HPP station being constructed by Turkish firm Georgian Urban Energy Ltd in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, South Georgia...
An additional $84 mln investment to be invested in Georgian gas and oil exploration and production - Minister of Energy - (Trend) This year it is planned to invest an additional $ 84 million for the exploration and production of oil and gas in Georgia, said Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Georgia Kakha Kaladze on Wednesday while visiting the areas of oil and gas companies "Gindal petroleum LTD" in Okami and Sartichala...
Oil refinery construction is not on agenda in Georgia - (Trend) Georgia has no more plans to build an oil refinery in the country, Georgian Deputy Energy and Natural Resources Minister Marika Valishvili told...
Kazakhstan Determined to Reclaim Business in Georgia - (Financial) New Silk Road and Kashagan Field are huge economic projects linking Georgia and Kazakhstan and promising great benefits to both countries...
Russia
Russian government ready to stimulate renewable energy investment - Dvorkovich - (Power Engineering) Russian government has prepared a draft resolution aimed at a major increase in electricity generation from renewable sources, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said...
Alstom, Soyuz partner on modernizing Russian power grid - (Penn Energy) Alstom Grid and Soyuz Holding have signed a joint venture agreement to manufacture and commercialize high voltage switchgear as part of ongoing efforts to modernize the Russian electrical grid...
Russia Energy Min: Shtokman Decision at Least 3 Years Away - (Fox Business) Formulating a new technical concept for developing the Shtokman natural gas field in Russia's Arctic will take at least three years, Russia's deputy energy minister said Thursday, according to the Interfax news agency...
Alstom, Soyuz sign deal to manufacture high voltage switchgear in Russia - (EBR) Alstom Grid and Soyuz Holding have signed a joint venture deal to manufacture and commercialize high voltage switchgear to modernize the Russian electrical grid...
Russia's growth slows drastically - (News.com) RUSSIA has reported a sharp slowdown in growth over the first three months of the year to 1.1 per cent from 4.9 per cent in the same period of 2012, amid growing alarm over the state of its economy amid a slew of poor data and falling oil prices...
Will Global Shale Boom Affect Russia’s Oil Industry By Dropping Oil Prices? - (Profit) The USA seems to threatening Russia not only with a shale revolution but also with a shale war...
Wall St. Warms to Siberia as Largest Cash Hoard Beckons: Energy - (Bloomberg Businessweek) OAO Surgutneftegas (SNGSP), Russia’s third- largest oil producer with a $31 billion market value, for years has refused to disclose its cash position under international reporting standards or whether it holds its own shares...
Turkey
SOCAR, Turkey hail TANAP, mull further projects - (New Europe) Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz told New Europe the Trans-Aatolian gas pipeline or TANAP is a substitute for the earlier grand Nabucco project and now Ankara has no preference between the shorter Nabucco West and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) that will carry gas onwards from Turkey’s western border to Europe...
Turkish energy plan picks up speed - (UPI) Iraq's independence-minded Kurds are racing to build a pipeline into neighboring Turkey through which they'll export oil from their Taq Taq field to the Mediterranean, a breakaway move that could take their bitter dispute with Baghdad to crisis level...
Turkey to increase renewable energy - (Dialy News) Turkey plans to increase the ratio of its renewable energy resources to 30 percent of its total energy production by 2023, Turkey’s energy minister has said...
Turkish energy output doubles within 10 years - (Daily News) Turkey has almost doubled its installed power in the energy sector with implemented projects in the past 10 years, as the resource-deficient country seeks alternatives to eliminate its import dependency on energy...
Head of SOCAR Turkey Enerji: TANAP project is Silk Road of energy sector - (Trend) The Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline project (TANAP) is the "Silk Road" of the energy sector, the head of SOCAR Turkey Enerji, a board member of Petkim Petrochemical Holding Kenan Yavuz told Cihan agency on Tuesday...
Turkey floats gas pipeline plan with Israel - (Muslim Village) As diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey thaw, Turkey’s energy minister says that a pipeline project between the two countries could become possible...
Turkey's first local solar tower built in southern city - (Daily News) Turkish energy company Greenway has completed the construction of Turkey’s first “concentrated solar power tower plant” (CSP) in the southern province of Mersin, which is located on one of the world’s major Sun Belt areas...
Yildiz: Turkey to hold on to TANAP, Nabucco pipeline shares - (Turkish Press) Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz on Wednesday stressed the importance of Ankara's stake in two Caspian gas pipelines, telling the press that it would ensure the country's role as an energy corridor for Europe.
Turkey Joins the Solar Wagon with a Massive Rooftop Array - (Green Prophet) Much ado has been made of the great solarization of Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, but Turkey has made some sun-powered progress too. And the most recent development in the south is also the country’s largest...
Ukraine
Ukraine Fuels Energy Cooperation With the EU - (PR Newswire) Ukrainian government has developed an action plan to intensify cooperation with the EU in the energy sector in 2013...
Ukraine needs to make more progress on energy efficiency to boost economy - (Kyivpost) Few topics are as sensitive in Ukraine –economically, politically and socially – as energy...
EU Countries Show Interest in Ukraine's Gas Transportation - (PR Newswire) EU member-states first showed their interest in Ukrainian gas storages in February 2013, for its gas transportation system (GTS) boasts the extensive underground storage facilities - 13 units with the total capacity of more than 31 billion cubic meters, reads zn.ua...
Ukraine Will Liberalise Gas Market by 2014 - Ukraine's Energy Official - (PR Newswire) Ukraine will complete the liberalization of its gas market according to European standards by 2014...
US ready to help Ukraine organize shale gas production, says US ambassador - (Interfax) The United States is ready to help Ukraine, including at the expert level, and organize shale gas production, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Tefft has said...
Government has intention to increase production of power energy by HPP up to 15% - (Hydroworld) The Government has an intention to increase volumes of power energy produced in Ukraine by hydroelectric power plants (HPP) up to 15%....
Natural gas estimates in Ukraine lower - (UPI) The latest assessment of Ukrainian natural gas reserves was lower than expected, Regal Petroleum said in its latest update...
Minister: Ukraine could become net gas exporter by 2025 - (KyivPost) Ukraine could bring in more international majors to explore its hydrocarbon fields on production-sharing terms and become a net gas exporter by 2025, Energy and Coal Minister Eduard Stavytsky said...
NERC Boosts Installed Capacity Of Generating Equipment For Sambirska Solar Power Plant By 2 MW To 3.1 MW - (Power Engineering) The National Electricity Regulatory Commission of Ukraine has boosted the installed capacity of electric energy generating equipment for Sambir-based Sambirska Solar Power Plant limited liability company (Lviv region) by 2 MW to 3.1 MW, the results of the Commission's meeting said...
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