September 20-27, 2014       USAID/USEA Southeast Europe Distribution System Operator (DSO) Security of Supply Study Tour to the U.S. Columbus, OH; Houston, TX; and Washington, DC 

Albania

Albania and Kosovo Want to Strengthen Their Energy Cooperation- (Energetika)

Bulgaria  

Bulgaria inks nuclear deal with Westinghouse- (Energy Live News) Bulgaria has signed an agreement with Westinghouse Electric Company for the expansion of a nuclear power plant in the country…

Bulgaria ends 20% renewables charge- (WindPower Monthly) BULGARIA: Bulgaria's Constitutional Court has struck down a controversial 20% charge on the income of wind and solar photovoltaic plants, agreeing it was unconstitutional and providing some relief for the country's renewable industry…

Bulgarian Court Finds Renewable Energy Tariff Unconstitutional – (Tax News) The decision was supported by ten of the Court's 12 constitutional judges…

Bulgaria to Invest BGN 68M in Gas Link with Serbia- (Novinite) Bulgaria is to invest over BGN 68 M into the construction of the local section of the gas grid interconnection with Serbia…

Bulgaria Will Need over EUR 34 M for Gas Interconnector with Serbia- (Publics.bg) The construction work would cost BGN 67.7 m, while the control and consultancy would necessitate BGN 300,000 and BGN 20,000 respectively, preliminary estimates of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Energy and Economy revealed…

Vasil Shtonov to Overrsee Economy and Energy Sectors- (Novinite) Vasil Shtonov was appointed as Economy and Energy Minister in Bulgaria's caretaker government unveiled on Tuesday…

Bulgaria’s South Stream constructor replaced after U.S. pressure- (Standart) Russian Stroytransgaz left the consortium that won the construction tender for the Bulgarian section of the South Stream pipeline, the company's himself chief shareholder announced in an interview with the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS…

South Stream Still Suspended in Bulgaria after Caretaker Government was Announced- (Publics.bg) Energy board to guarantee transparency in Bulgaria’s energy sector; South Stream construction still on hold…

Bulgaria plans energy board to improve decision making- (Reuters) SOFIA Aug 6 - Bulgaria plans to set up an energy board with foreign representatives to ensure that decisions concerning the multi-billion dollar projects on its territory are transparent, the interim economy and energy minister said on Wednesday…

New Bulgarian Energy Minister to Establish Energy Council- (Publics.bg) An energy board, or rather an energy council, will be introduced in order to bring transparency to Bulgaria’s energy sector, new interim energy minister Vasil Shtonov announced Wednesday during the official inauguration ceremony…

Bulgaria: the Constitutional Court decides in favour of solar and wind energy producers- (Lexology) A recent decision of the Bulgarian Constitutional Court proclaims a state fee that has cost wind and solar energy producers about EUR 25.6 million (ca. USD 34,3 million) unconstitutional…

Next Bulgaria government to decide on Westinghouse deal: president- (Reuters) SOFIA Aug 5 - Bulgaria's interim government will leave to its successor a decision to approve a recently-signed agreement with Westinghouse, part of Toshiba Corp, for a new nuclear reactor, President Rosen Plevneliev told Reuters on Tuesday…

EC, World Bank and EBRD to scrutinize Bulgaria’s energy sector in a new energy board- (Standart) Experts from the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank will put the Bulgarian energy sector under their magnifying glasses…

Former Bulgaria govt granted permit for South Stream- (Reuters) SOFIA Aug 7 - Bulgaria's previous government issued a construction permit for the South Stream gas pipeline as recently as last week, despite earlier announcing a freeze on the project which is to carry Russian natural gas under the Black Sea to Europe…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Gazprom tightening links with Bosnia and Herzegovina- (Energy Global) Led by Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee the Company's delegation paid a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina…

Device Using Three Renewable Energy Sources Under Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina-(Offshorewind) A renewable energy system which simultaneously utilizes wind, wave, and solar energy is being developed in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Josip Bilic, an innovator who aims at building a cost-effective device that can produce energy from more than one source…

Bosnia’s RiTE Gacko plans investments of 25.6 mln euro in 2015- govt- (SeeNews) BANJA LUKA (Bosnia and Herzegovina), August 5  – Bosnian coal mining and energy complex RiTE Gacko [BANJ:RITE-R-A] plans to invest 50 million marka ($34.3 million/25.6 million euro) next year, the government of Bosnia's Serb Republic entity said on Tuesday, quoting the company's director…

Bosnian Region Seeks Consultants Again to Advise on Oil, Gas- (RigZone) SARAJEVO, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Bosnia's autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation has issued a new tender seeking consultants to help with the process of awarding an oil and gas exploration and production concession to Royal Dutch Shell…

Bosnian coal mining firm seeks advisers on power station project- (Reuters) SARAJEVO Aug 6 - Bosnian state-run brown coal mine operator Banovici issued a tender on Wednesday seeking consultants to help it choose a strategic partner to finance and build a 300 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant…

Croatia  

In Croatia Public Discussion about Gas Market Organisation Rules- (Energetika)

Macedonia

 Macedonia’s ELEM reconnects to grid overhauled HPP Vrutok- (SeeNews) SKOPJE (Macedonia), August 1 – Macedonian state-owned power producer ELEM said its Vrutok hydro power plant (HPP) was reconnected to the grid after being overhauled as part of a wider upgrade project worth 36.6 million euro ($49 million)…

Hareon Solar, Swiss ILB Helios to build 6.3 GW of solar parks- (See News)  Aug 1, 2014 - Chinese photovoltaic (PV) equipment maker Hareon Solar Technology Co Ltd (SHA:600401) said today it had clinched a deal to build 6,271 MWp of solar parks together with Swiss-based solar project developer ILB Helios…

Macedonia Urges Power Companies to Write Off Debts- (Balkan Insight) Macedonia’s Finance Ministry has urged utility companies to hurry up and apply to join a government-backed scheme to write of the debts of the poorest customers…

Courts sentence 83 for electricity theft in 2014- (MIA) Skopje, 6 August 2014- In the first seven months of 2014, Macedonian courts have sentenced a total of 83 individuals for illegally using electricity…

Number of Electricity Thieves Increases but also of Court Verdicts- (Independent) From January to July this year, EVN "Macedonia" has registered stolen electricity valued at EUR 110,000... 

Court sentences 83 for Electricity Theft in 2014- (MINA) In the first seven months of 2014, Macedonian courts have sentenced a total of 83 individuals for illegally using electricity…

Montenegro

The ride to the Adriatic gas, the line that divides the sea into two- (Corriere) From the bell tower of San Marco, from the Adriatic coast and the coast of the Salento "drills" you cannot see…

IRN interviews: Vladan Dubljevic- (BalkanEU) “The Government of Montenegro has received bids from 6 companies to the Public Invitation to apply for Hydrocarbons Production Concession Contract for the Offshore of Montenegro published by the Ministry of Economy on 7 August 2013, which was closed on 15 May 2014…

Romania

SRI’s Maior: Romania’s energy independence can be achieved late this decade, or early next decade-(ACTmedia) Director of the Romanian Intelligence Service (CRI) George Maior on Monday said analyses indicate Romania can achieve energy independence late this decade or early next decade…

CEZ to consolidate presence in Romania, cancels wind park stake sale- (Romania Insider) Czech electricity group CEZ plans to stabilize and strengthen its operations in Romania and has no intention of exiting the market, but it doesn’t plan any major acquisition either…

CEZ Gives Up Search for Investors for 600MW Romanian Wind Park- (Business Week) CEZ AS, the largest Czech producer of electricity, isn’t actively seeking investors for a stake in its Fantanele & Cogealac wind farms in Romania…

The rainy hell continues: Balkan floods kill four, leave thousands without electricity- (Standart) The renewed floods in the Balkans drowned four victims so far…

Fracking in Romania between real risks and disinformation- (Balcanicaucaso) Water contamination, earthquakes and pollution. The drilling of the Chevron, which were to pave the way to energy independence, are likely to turn into a boomerang against the environment…

Romania gas producers to trade half of their output on bourse- (Retuers) BUCHAREST Aug 7- Romanian gas producers will have to trade half of their output on the bourse from 2015, energy regulator ANRE said on Thursday…

Romania seeks investors for Tarnita hydro power plant- (Reuters) BUCHAREST Aug 7- Investors have until Oct. 31 to file preliminary, non-binding bids to build a 1,000 megawatt hydro power plant at Tarnita said on Thursday…

Romania burns 6% less gas in first five months- (Romania Insider) Romania’s natural gas consumption declined by 6% in the first five months of 2014, compared to the same period last year, to 63.2 million MWh, according to data from Romania’s Energy Authority (ANRE)…

Kosovo

Prishtina without electricity, cause the malfunctioning of KOSTT lines- (Kosovo Press) Tonight at around 20:00, a large area of Prishtina remained without electricity…

Kosovo in an energy crisis- (BalkanEU) Citizens of Kosovo continue to face problems of power supply…

Serbia

Flash flooding shuts Serbian power plant unit- (Reuters) Serbia’s second largest power plant, Kostolac, shut down its 181-megawatt unit due to heavy rainfall and floods in the area, the state power utility EPS said in a statement on Thursday…

Serbian flood-h power plant restarts 181 MW unit- (Reuters) BELGRADE Aug 1- (Serbia’s second-largest coal—fired power plant, Kostolac, restarted a 181 megawatt unit, which was shut on Thursday as floodwater from heavy rainfall threatened to encroach on the plant, the state power utility EPS said on Friday…

The cost of the planned Bulgaria-Serbia gas interconnector will surpass EUR 34 m- (Balkans) The cost of the planned Bulgaria-Serbia gas interconnector will surpass BGN 68 million (about EUR 34 m), preliminary estimates of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Energy and economy revealed…

Serbia Hit With More Floods Only 2 Months After Devastating Deluge- (Global Voices Online) After massive floods in several Balkan countries in May 2014, a natural disaster the size of which the region hasn't seen in over a century, Serbia was hit with new floods during the last days of July

Bajatovic: South Stream in Serbia according to plan- (In Serbia) BELGRADE – Srbijagas director Dusan Bajatovic says that the first 30 kilometers of the South Stream pipeline section through Serbia will be laid by the end of 2014, and the route will change in Vojvodina, as it will not go to Italy but to Baumgarten in Austria…

Serbian energy sector continues to rely on coal: minister- (Global Post) DESPOTOVAC, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Coal will be the single most exploited resource for producing electricity in Serbia, said the country's Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic Wednesday…

Serbia eyes a new law on mining- (Balkans) Serbia's Minister of Energy and Mining Aleksandar Antic said on Wednesday that Serbia's mining resources, coupled with a modern law on mining and geological exploration, could attract investors and significantly contribute to the overall development of the national economy…

Russia’s Centrgaz to Build 30 Km of Serbia’s South Stream Section by Year-End- (RIA Novosti) BELGRADE, August 6 – Russia's Centrgaz, a subsidiary of gas giant Gazprom, expects that the first 30 kilometer-long section of the South Stream pipeline is to be laid by the end of this year, the Serbian president and Centrgaz CEO said in a statement on Wednesday…

Armenia 

Energy tariffs increase in Armenia- (Vestnik) Energy tariffs are increasing by 10% in Armenia starting from today…

Asian Development Bank approves $37 million loan for Armenia- (ARKA) YEREVAN, August 1. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $37 million loan for Armenia to help it rehabilitate its electricity transmission system…

$26 million worth project to boost development of solar energy in Armenia will commence in a year- (ARKA) YEREVAN, August 5. An investment project worth $26 million designed to give a boost to development of solar energy in Armenia will commence in about a year, Tamara Babayan, head of the Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund of Armenia, told reporters today…

Armenia sees no threat of war with Azerbaijan yet over Karabakh- (Reuters) Azerbaijan and Armenia accused each other on Monday of stoking tensions over the breakaway enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh inside Azerbaijan after a recurrence of fighting last week, although Yerevan said there was no immediate threat of war…

Hayk Harutyunyan appointed deputy minister of energy- (Aysor) By a decision of Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, Hayk Harutyunyan has been appointed deputy minister of energy and natural resources of Armenia, according to the press office of the government…

World Bank to lend $122.67 million to Armenia under three projects- (ARKA) YEREVAN, August 6.  Armenian Finance Minister Gagik Khachatryan and World Bank’s Country Manager for Armenia Jean-Michel Happi signed a $122.67-million agreement on financing three programs, the press office of the finance ministry reports...

Azerbaijan    

Azeri oil exports via Russia fall 41 pct in Jan-July- (Reuters) BAKU Aug 4- Azerbaijan’s oil exports via Russia fell 40.5 percent year on year to 593.025 tonnes in the first seven months of 2014, Azeri state energy company SOCAR said…

Tony Blair Snags an Azerbaijani Gas-Gig- (Eurasianet) Ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair has come under fire for agreeing to help out an Azerbaijani gas pipeline designed to diversify energy resources in Europe…

Tony Blair will advise on controversial gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Italy- (The Guardian) On one side are Tony Blair, a powerful consortium of energy interests, including BP, and the autocratic ruler of a former Soviet bloc country. On the other are the olive growers of Puglia and a comedian turned political maverick…

Higher gas production should support economic growth in Azerbaijan, S&P says- (Trend.az) Over the long term, higher gas production should support economic growth and compensate for stagnating oil production in Azerbaijan, Standard & Poor's Rating Services said in its report on Aug.4…

Power generation resumes growth in Azerbaijan- (ABC.az) Baku. In July 2014 Azerbaijani national energy producer Azerenerji OJSC increased power generation. Last year power generation index exceeded by 0.9% the figure for 2012 when rise was 6.5%...

EU tries to revive Trans-Caspian gas pipeline- (ABC.az) Baku. The European Union is trying to revive the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline (TAG)…

Energy security for Europe in the hands of Azerbaijan- (Digital Journal) In a recent visit to SOCAR, Swiss company AXPO highlighted the importance of Azerbaijan's role in the energy sector. AXPO have a 5% participation in the TAP Trans Adriatic Pipeline….

Power generation resumes growth in Azerbaijan- (ABC.az) Baku. In July 2014 Azerbaijani national energy producer Azerenerji OJSC increased power generation. Last year power generation index exceeded by 0.9% the figure for 2012 when rise was 6.5%...

Increase in world oil prices causes changes in gasoline prices in Azerbaijan- (Trend.az) Any change in prices for Premium (AI-95) and Super (AI-98) gasoline is a result of fluctuations in the prices for oil and oil products in world markets, a source in Azerbaijan's oil market told Trend on Aug.6…

Azerbaijani president reviews progress of construction of Heydar Aliyev park in barda city- (Trend.az) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has reviewed the progress of construction of the Heydar Aliyev park in the country's Barda city…

Georgia  

Georgian port of Batumi’s oil loadings down 19 pc this year- (Business Recorder) TBILISI: Crude oil and refined product shipments from Georgia's Black Sea port of Batumi are down 19.3 percent in the first seven months of the year from a year ago a senior official at the terminal said on Monday…

Leading human resource provider in oil and gas sphere enters Georgian market- (Trend.az) "Swift Worldwide Resources" company, a leading human resource provider in the oil and gas industry, will be opening a representative office in Georgia…

Georgians protest against HPP construction in Adjara- (AzerNews) The villagers of Shalta in Georgia`s Adjara region are protesting against the construction of a Hydroelectric Power Plant…

Moldovoa  

Kurdish Pipeline Exports Unaffected by Iraq Turmoil- (Bloomberg) The largest oil producer in Iraqi Kurdistan is confident that the region will maintain independent pipeline exports unimpeded by the violence and political turmoil engulfing the country…

Genel Energy due US$40mln from Kurdistan oil exports- (Proactive Investors) Tony Hayward, chief executive of Genel Energy (LON:GENL), expects oil exports from Kurdistan will become regular and in turn payments to oil companies will become predictable…

Shale Gas: An Alternative Energy for EU, Turkey- (Daily Sabah) Untapped shale gas reservoirs are considered an alternative energy source for import-dependent countries in the EU and Turkey, but geographical challenges and technology shortage are the main setbacks…

No ISIS Oil to Pass Through Turkey: Minister Says- (Daily Sabah) ISTANBUL – Speaking to the press before a TV broadcast, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız expressed his views on the decision of a local court in the U.S. to hold the tanker carrying 1 million barrels of Kurdish crude oil in escrow and said that Turkey is not commercializing the oil illegally drilled by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)…

Flow of Iraqi Kurdish oil to Turkish port resumed on Sunday- energy officials- (Trust) ANKARA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - The crude flow in Iraqi Kurdistan's oil pipeline to Turkey's Ceyhan port resumed on Sunday at 75,000 barrels per day, Turkish energy officials told Reuters on Monday, having been halted late last month because the storage tanks were full…

KRG Oil Exports Continue Despite International Pressure- (Daily Sabah) Despite Baghdad and Washington's pressure and the political uncertainty in Iraq, KRG oil exports via the Turkish port of Ceyhan are continuing, with the acceptance of KRG oil by international markets expected soon…

Turkey: Striving to Realize Energy Dream- (Eurasianet) With Ukraine and the Middle East currently engulfed in turmoil, Turkey is trying to play a new energy-export card and, in the process, strengthen its position as a regional energy hub…

Turkey backs away from Israeli gas pipelines- (Energy Live News) A pipeline bringing gas from Israel’s Leviathan offshore gas field was on the cards, reported Turkey’s English newspaper Hurriyet…

KRG’s Crude Oil Exports VIA Turkey Restarts- (Daily Sabah) ANKARA – Officials from Turkish stateowned pipeline operator BOTAŞ stated on Tuesday that oil flow through the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan resumed with a volume of 75,000 barrels per day…

Ukraine  

Interpol declares former Ukrainian Energy Minister Stavytsky wanted- (Kyiv Post) Interpol has declared former Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky wanted on charges of "misappropriation, embezzlement or conversion of property by malversation, if committed in respect of an especially gross amount, or by an organized group," Interpol said on its Web site…

Ukrainian plan to reduce FITs sparks protests- (PVMagazine) Facing dire economic problems resulting from its ongoing civil war, the Ukrainian government has approved a plan to reduce feed-in tariffs by 50%. Leading solar developers are taking legal action against the move.

Shale work in Ukraine on hold, Shell says- (UPI) AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Operations in shale acreage in eastern Ukraine can no longer continue as planned, the chief executive officer at Royal Dutch Shell said…

Humanitarian catastrophe: Lugansk, E. Ukraine, left with no water, power- (RT) The eastern Ukrainian city of Lugansk has declared a state of humanitarian catastrophe over a lack of medical supplies, electricity, lighting, mobile and internet communication. Some 250,000 civilians are unable to leave, the statement also says…

Ukrainian Urged to Save Energy as Russian Gas Shortage Hurts- (VOA) KYIV- Residents in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities are having to cope without hot water after the government switched off communal boilers in residential housing blocks to save energy…

Ukraine gets fas from Europe after Russia cutoff, volumes plummet- (Reuters) KIEV Aug 7 - Ukraine imported gas from Poland and Hungary in July after Russia cut off supplies, and the volume amounted to about a tenth of its imports a year ago, according to domestic gas transport monopoly Ukrtransgaz on Thursday…

This program is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the United States Energy Association and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.