USEA Upcoming Events

March 25-26 2015: USAID/USEA Black Sea Regional Transmission System Planning (BSTP) Project Working Group Meeting Bucharest, Romania

March 27 2015: USAID/USEA Black Sea Regional Transmission System Planning (BSTP)/Black Sea Regulatory Initiative (BSRI) Joint Project Working Group Meeting Bucharest, Romania

Albania to introduce new technology to combat energy theft – (Shanghai Daily) Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has said the country will install new intelligent electric meters to combat energy theft, Albanian Daily News reported Thursday.  Rama revealed the first details of the project he launched a few weeks ago about the provision of new intelligent energy meters for consumers. According to him, a German telecommunications company, Deutsche Telecom, will invest in the project…

Albania launches its first energy efficiency project – (dtt-net) A four floor building in the town of Lezha reconstructed completely, is the first energy efficiency project in Albania, financed by the government…

Albanian Government supports TAP project – (Balkans) Albanian Minister of Energy and Industry Damian Gjiknuri on Tuesday said his government supported the development of the trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP) project as part of the Southern Gas Corridor…

SOCAR to gasify Albania – (News.Az) A special working group to develop a feasibility study for the implementation of the master plan for the gasification of Albania will be created.  Oxu.Az reports that it was said at the meeting of SOCAR…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia's EPBiH Plans to Raise Electricity Output By 3.3% in 2015 –(IENE) Bosnian state-controlled power utility Elektroprivreda BiH [SAJ:JPESR] said on Tuesday it plans to raise electricity output by 3.3% to 7,651 GWh in 2015, mostly due to expected shorter downtime at its thermal power plants for regular overhauls…

Bulgaria

Bulgaria cabinet approves agreement on matters connected with financing of national energy efficiency programme – (Focus) Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers has greenlighted an agreement with the Bulgarian Development Bank on the matters connected with the financing of the National Programme for Energy Renovation of Multi-family Residential Buildings and the payment of gratuitous financial aid, the press service of the Government announced…

Liberalisation of Electricity Market to be Concluded by End of Year – MP – (Novinite) Delyan Dobrev, chairperson of the parliamentary Energy Committee, said that the liberalisation of the electricity market in Bulgaria should be completed in practice by the end of the year. Dobrev explained that this will allow both businesses and individual customers to choose their supplier of electricity from among a list of 100 licensed companies…

Vertical Gas Corridor to Be Ready by 2019? – (Energetika) According to comments by Romanian Energy Minister, Andrei Gerea, as cited by the Romania Libera newspaper and investor.bg, the Vertical Corridor (Aegean Baltic Corridor project) was discussed in detail during a...

Bulgarian Foreign Minister: It is vital for Bulgaria to construct its interconnectors with Romania and Greece– (Focus) It is vital for Bulgaria to construct its interconnectors with Romania and Greece, so that the gas flow is secured and Bulgaria could serve as a natural gas transiting country. This is what Daniel Mitov, Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said during a press conference, FOCUS News Agency reported…

Green energy in Bulgaria: an uneasy success – (Balcanicaucaso) Bulgaria is among the few European countries that have announced the achievement of the objectives of the "Europe 2020" strategy on renewable energy. At the same time, the sector is said to be in crisis and unsustainable…

Bulgaria, Greece agree to speed up work on gas link – (Ekathimerini) Bulgaria and Greece have agreed to take a final investment decision by the end of May to pave the way for a gas pipeline aimed at reducing Sofia's dependence on Russian gas, Bulgaria's energy minister said on Thursday…

Putin: We haven’t given up the South Stream project – (Euractiv) On a visit to Hungary, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a U-turn, announcing that his country has not given up the South Stream pipeline project, which he had himself declared dead in December.  Russia recently abandoned plans to build the South Stream gas pipeline via the Black Sea to Bulgaria, and blamed Sofia for having obstructed the project…

Croatia

Serbia to Launch its Power Exchange before Croatia? – (Energetika) Broadly speaking, Popov says it makes little sense for each country in the region to have its own energy exchange. Instead, the region should follow Nordpool’s lead. “Integration does not necessarily mean we…

UPDATE 1-Croatia gets 7 bids for onshore oil/gas exploration – minister – (Reuters) Croatia has received seven bids at an international tender for onshore exploration of oil and gas in the northern Drava river basin and the east of the country, Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak said on Wednesday…

Kosovo

Kopač: Kosovo Should Prioritise Third Energy Package and Energy Efficiency – (Energetika) The Energy Community Secretariat has assisted Kosovo in the preparation of the Third Package draft laws and has recently submitted a draft law on the energy performance of buildings to the government as a way…

Kosovo KEK to Increase Electricity Production Next Month – (Energetika) “We remain committed to our work and to raising the level of production. Despite all the challenges, works due to the overhaul of Kosova A thermal power plant are already completed. With the resumption of production…

Kosovo Faces Unplanned Power Shortage of 400 MWh – (Energetika) The company explained that during the day and until Unit B1 is reactivated there might be interruptions in electricity supply due to the lack of capacities and energy resources in Kosovo.ʺKosovo Energy Corporation…

Macedonia

Macedonia Paying the Highest Gas Price in Europe – (Energetika) For the same gas Serbia, for example, pays USD 457 (EUR 403), Slovenia USD 486 (EUR 429) and Bulgaria USD 501 (EUR 442).According to some analysts, the difference in the price is a result of the quantity of gas...

Macedonia and Serbia Join Forces in Energy – (Energetika) Gruevski said he talked to his counterpart about European integration, the ongoing reforms, social issues and achieving higher standards.“We believe in strengthening our good neighbourly relations and mitigating…

Montenegro

Enormous cost savings to be attained through balancing market integration in South East Europe – study – (Energy Community) The integration of national electricity balancing markets in an efficient manner can provide security of supply at the lowest cost and significantly enhance technical performance and competition. An impact assessment study published today by the Secretariat demonstrates what steps need to be taken in the Energy Community Contracting Parties to achieve an integrated regional balancing market in the electricity sector…

Romania

Romania Has Opportunity to Become a Regional Energy Hub – (Energetika) Colteanu added that if Romania intends to take advantage of this opportunity, authorities need to come up with an economic development strategy that is closely related to the energy strategy.Energy security and...

Commission wants to vet member states’ energy deals – (EurActiv) Member states’ energy deals with non-EU nations should be scrutinised by the European Commission before they are signed, according to a draft plan for the flagship Energy Union that outlines a strategy to diversify energy suppliers…

Romania installs 363 MW of PV in 2014 – (PV Magazine) Romania added 363 MW of solar PV in 2014. While the figure is considerably smaller than in 2013, it still proves that Romania has emerged as a one of Europe's significant markets for photovoltaic investors…

Eurostat: Romania, the least dependent on energy imports in 2013 – (ACT Media) The states of the European Union the least dependent on energy imports in 2013 were Estonia (11.9%), Denmark (12.3%) and Romania (18.6%), and the countries with the highest level of dependence were Malta (104%), Luxembourg (96.9%) and Cyprus (96.4%), show the data released on Monday by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat)…

GE Distributed Power is helping Romania to modernize district heating networks – (The Diplomat) Supporting Romania goals to modernize its aging district heating networks to reduce air pollution and comply with the country's environmental obligations for joining the European Union, GE Distributed Power business is supplying European energy developer STC SpA…

Romania promotes Aegean Baltic Corridor at EU level – (Romania-Insider) Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary intend to promote at EU level an interconnection project of their national gas networks, called the Aegean Baltic Corridor…

Vertical Gas Corridor May Be Ready by 2019 – Romanian Media – (Novinite) The development of plans for the construction of a Vertical Corridor connecting the gas grids of Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania has reached an advanced stage, according to Romanian authorities…

Serbia

Southern Gas Corridor and Turkish Stream on South Eastern European Energy Agenda – (Energetika) At the first meeting in Baku of the Consultative Council on the Southern Gas Corridor, where energy ministers from Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Azerbaijan, Italy and Georgia were present, Yildiz said…

New Serbian Energy Law: improved regulatory framework for renewable energy investments – (Lexology) On 30 December 2014, Serbia’s new Energy Law came into force with the main objectives of encouraging investments in the renewable energy sector and generally improving the Serbian energy sector’s regulatory framework by removing a number of obstacles contained in the previous energy law…

Armenia

Armenian nuke station to be ready for reconstruction stop by spring 2017 – minister – (ARKA) Preparations for ceasing operations at the Armenian Metsamor nuclear power plant for reconstruction purposes will be completed by spring 2017, minister of energy and natural resources Yervand Zakharyan said at a meeting in the nuke station on Tuesday…

Russian gas supplies resumed to Armenia via Georgia – (Interfax-Ukraine) The transportation of natural gas to Armenia across the territory of Georgia via the North Caucasus - South Caucasus trunk pipeline, which was interrupted on Thursday, was resumed at 7:45 pm local time on February 12, Armenia's gas monopoly, CJSC Gazprom Armenia, the subsidiary of OJSC Gazprom, said in a statement…

Armenia’s gas supplies suspended temporarily – (Panorama.Am) The supply of natural gas to Armenia was suspended at 1:30 pm on Thursday due to damage on the main gas pipeline, Gazprom Armenia said…

Gas pipeline leak interrupts Russian gas supplies to Armenia: Gazprom Armenia – (ARMRadio) The supply of Russian gas to Armenia was suspended today, due to damage in the main gas pipeline, Gazprom Armenia reported on Thursday.  “Delivery of natural gas to Armenia has been temporarily suspended, staring on February 12 at 13:30, due to damage on the main gas pipeline North Caucasus-Transcaucasia, as a result of a rock fall in the Kazbegi district of Georgia. Emergency works are under way,” the company said in statement…

Delivery of Russian gas to Armenia halted because of landslide – (ARKA) Shipment of Russian natural gas to Armenia through Georgia was halted temporarily today at 13 pm because of a landslide in Kazbegi region of Georgia, Armenia’s national gas distributor company Gazprom Armenia said today. A crash crew has been sent from Tbilisi to the area to fix the problem as soon as possible, it said…

Azerbaijan

Energy ties between US and Azerbaijan excellent – Assistant Secretary – (APA) Energy ties between US and Azerbaijan are in an excellent condition, said Victoria Nuland, the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, APA reports.  Nuland noted that there are efforts to implement new projects, reminding that the first joint project between the two countries is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline…

Azerbaijan hopes to convert energy partnership with US into advantageous settlement of Karabakh conflict – (ABC.AZ) Azerbaijan hopes to convert energy partnership with US into advantageous settlement of Karabakh conflict.  Last week the Parliament of Azerbaijan held debates on “Azerbaijani-American relations in the light of human rights, energy and security…

European Commission welcomes Azerbaijan’s increasing role in energy security – (Azernews) The European Commission welcomes Azerbaijan’s increasing role in ensuring the energy security of Europe, Mathieu Bousquet, Acting Head of the Regional Unit of the European Commission said speaking to journalists in the lobby at the EU Eastern Partnership Youth Forum in Riga…

Azerbaijani President: "Southern Gas Corridor is a project of energy security" – (APA) “Azerbaijan's gas will be the only new source of gas for European consumers in the next years,” said President Ilham Aliyev at the first meeting of ministers within the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor in Baku on February 12

Southern Gas Corridor more than energy project, first messages from Baku meeting – (Azernews) The Southern Gas Corridor project in the core of the strategic energy partnership with Azerbaijan and EU’s commitment to the project realization are the main topics of the Baku meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor partners…

Georgia, Azerbaijan to mull joint projects – (Trend) Georgia and Azerbaijan will discuss the joint projects in the energy and transport spheres, Georgian Foreign Ministry spokesperson David Kereselidze said at a traditional briefing on Feb.16…

Azerbaijan’s hydropower industry returns to growth but power generation deprived of commercial importance by 4.5% – (ABC.AZ) The State Statistics Committee reports that 4.5% of power generation in Azerbaijan was not of commercial significance in January 2015 against 5.13% in 2014.  The Committee informs that total power generation reached 2.305 bn kWh in January that exceeded the generation level for January 2013 by 4%. Traded generation totaled 2.2 bn kWh (+4.2%) or 95.5% of total generation in January…

Congressman: Cooperation with Azerbaijan necessary to ensure EU energy security – (News.Az) Congressman Turner noted Azerbaijan’s contribution to energy security in Europe, underlining the importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor…

Georgia

Minister announces new era in Georgia’s energy sector – (The Messenger Online) A major project to renovate and modernize one of Georgia’s most important Enguri hydro power plants (HPP) will start at the end of 2015.  This information was revealed by Georgia’s Energy Minister Kaka Kaladze at the energy conference organized by TBC Bank on February 17…

Enguri HPP rehabilitation will begin in late 2015 – (Agenda.GE) A major project to renovate and modernise the Enguri Hydro Power Plant (HPP) will start at the end of 2015.  Details of the Enguri HPP renovation were revealed by Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister and Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze while he delivered a speech at an energy conference organised by TBC Bank today…

SOCAR intends to participate in construction of gas storage in Georgia – (Trend) Earlier, Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said that SOCAR is holding negotiations with Georgian government on participation in the project for…

Kakha Kaladze: “Georgia has invested $800 mln in the Soutrhern Gas Corridor project” – (APA) Tbilisi. Nizami Mammadzade - APA. “I attended the Advisor Council of the Southern Gas Corridor in Baku. Of course, each country should contribute to this project. Georgia has invested $800 mln in this project”, Georgian Deputy Prime Minister, Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze told APA’s Georgian bureau…

GEORGIA COULD ALIGN WITH SOUTHERN GAS CORRIDOR PROJECT – (Eurasia Review) The implementation of the second stage of developing the Azerbaijani gas condensate Shah Deniz-2 field was mainly discussed during the first meeting of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor project, held in Baku Feb. 12, Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze told Trend Feb. 12…

Moldova

World: Gazprom cuts gas price for Moldova in Q1 – (Energy World) Russian gas giant Gazprom has cut by about 20% the price for the gas it exports to Moldova in the first quarter of 2015, Moldova’s economy ministry said on Tuesday.  Moldova will pay about $311 (275 euro) per 1,000 cubic metres of natural gas imported from Russia, compared to $376 paid in the fourth quarter of 2014, the ministry said in a statement…

Turkey

EBRD Bank and Turkey Join Forces to Develop Renewable-Energy Action Plan – (IENE) Turkey has taken an important step towards reaching its 2023 renewable energy targets thanks to support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).In a move to grow the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix, increase security of energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has developed…

Turkey develops action plan for renewable energy with EBRD – (Hurriyet Daily News) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Turkish Energy Ministry are joining forces to develop a renewable-energy action plan, the bank said via written statement Feb. 16…

EBRD assists Turkey in setting 61-GW renewables plan – (SeeNews) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has helped Turkey draw an action plan to deploy about 61 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2023, including 20 GW of wind…

Turkey’s Wind Power Capacity Increased to Over 3,000 Megawatts – (IENE) Turkey’s wind power capacity increased to over 3,000 megawatts (MW) with the installation of new facilities totaling 804 MW in 2014, according to wind power body the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)…

Turkey’s wind power capacity increased to over 3,000 megawatts – (Balkans) Turkey’s wind power capacity increased to over 3,000 megawatts (MW) with the installation of new facilities totaling 804 MW in 2014, according to wind power body the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)…

Turkey installs only 78 MW of grid-tied PV in 2014 – (PV Magazine) Latest installation data demonstrates Turkey’s strong preference toward wind power. Solar PV, in contrast, either has fallen out of favor or Turkish institutions struggle to cope with the licensing process…

Turkey’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan aims at the installation of 5 GW of solar PV capacity by 2023 – (Solar Server) In a move to grow the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix, increase security of energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has developed – with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)…

Turkey as a member of the energy community – (Daily Sabah) EU-Turkey relations go back almost to the origins of European integration in the 1950s. Turkey first applied to join the European Economic Community as an associated member in 1959. This resulted in the signing of the Ankara Agreement in 1963. As of today, Turkey has attained EU candidate country status…

New energy plan is a Turkish delight – (Energy Live News) Turkey is set to get closer to its 2023 energy targets.  That’s because of support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Turkish Ministry of Energy.  A new “National Energy Action Plan” has been created to meet the country’s targets as part of its future energy mix…

Ukraine

Yatsenyuk orders payments be suspended for electricity generated in uncontrolled territory – (Kyiv Post) Ukraine will suspend payments for the electricity generated in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone and payments will resume only if the electricity is supplied to Ukrainian households rather than to terrorists, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said…

Ukraine’s nuclear power output grows 5.3% y/y in Jan 2015 – (SeeNews) Ukrainian nuclear power facilities increased their energy output by 5.3% on the year to 8.736 billion kWh in January 2015, the country’s nuke plants operator Energoatom said on Friday…

The World Bank will support Ukrainian energy power reorganization in 2015 – (Pellets-Wood) In 2015 the international financial organizations will provide Ukraine with regular support…

Top energy figures to join Ukrainian Energy Forum in March in Kyiv – (Interfax-Ukraine) Preparations for the Ukrainian Energy Forum (3 – 5 March 2015 at Hotel Intercontinental Kyiv) are taking place against the challenging background which the Ukrainian energy sector is currently facing. Numerous influential figures from the energy community have recognised that the Forum…

$3.4 Billion For Ukrainian Solar Power By 2020 – (solarlove) A recent statement from the official spokesman of the Ukrainian cabinet of Ministers revealed that 3 billion euros will be invested in the Ukrainian solar power industry by 2020…

PGO investigating contracts on supply of electricity to Crimea, says prosecutor general – (Interfax-Ukraine) Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO) is investigating the possible violation of Ukrainian law during the signing of contracts on the supply of electricity to Crimea.  When asked by Interfax-Ukraine if criminal proceedings into materials which the governmental commission sent to the PGO on the supply of electricity to Crimea have begun, Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin said that there is a criminal proceeding regarding Crimea and it is being investigated…

Prosecutor General's office probing Crimea electric supply contracts – (Ukrainian Journal) Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office is investigating the possible violation of Ukrainian law during the signing of contracts on the supply of electricity to Crimea.  When asked by Interfax-Ukraine if criminal proceedings into materials which the governmental commission sent to the PGO on the supply of electricity…

'Summer' gas package with Russia depends on geopolitics, says Ukrainian energy minister – (Kyiv Post) Achieving an agreement on the conditions of Russian gas supply to Ukraine after April 1, the so-called 'summer' package, will depend on geopolitics, Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn said at the 11th investment conference of Dragon Capital in Kyiv on Feb. 17…

Ukraine to raise $1 bln under state guarantees to create strategic energy reserves – PM – (Interfax-Ukraine) The Ukrainian government intends to establish a reserve of gas or fuel oil worth $1 billion to provide the country with heat in the winter of 2015-2016, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk has said…

UPDATE 1-Ukraine plans to borrow $1 bln to buy gas, fuel oil for reserves – (Reuters) Ukraine plans to borrow $1 billion to establish a strategic reserve of natural gas and fuel oil to cover local needs in emergency situations, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said on Saturday…

Russian natural gas flows to Ukraine stable –Ukrtransgaz – (Reuters) Russian natural gas flows to Ukraine are stable, Ukrainian gas transport monopoly Ukrtransgaz said on Monday.  A Ukrtransgaz spokesman said Ukraine had received around 30 million cubic metres of gas on Feb. 14…

Russia cannot avoid sending gas through Ukraine with finances critically dependent on energy exports – (DNA) Russia's plan to cut out Ukraine as a gas transit route is unrealistic because the EU will seek non-Russian gas rather than build the links it would need to Moscow's proposed new pipeline to Turkey, industry sources and analysts say…

Russian gas price seen falling by up to 35% in Europe – (EurActiv) The price of Russian gas for most of the European Union and Turkey could fall by up to 35% this year, plunging oil prices, Russia's Vedomosti newspaper reported on Friday (13 February,) citing forecasts by the country's Economy Ministry…

Energy and hybrid war in the Ukraine crisis – (Asia Times) The Russia-Ukraine crisis contains important energy lessons: When it comes to energy, geography is still destiny - and pipelines still equal economic and political power. The Ukraine crisis is also a reminder that energy security can be an issue of national security, and that dependence on Russia can be a strategic liability…

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.