Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region.  Click on the links for access to original publications.

---

USEA Upcoming Events

May 25-28, 2015: PSS/E Load Flow Training for Ukrenergo – Lviv, Ukraine 

May 29, 2015: Technical Meeting of Ukrainian Power System Support Project (UPSSP) – Lviv, Ukraine 

 June 1-2, 2015: USAID / USEA Southeast Europe Distribution System Operator (DSO) Security of Supply Working Group Meeting – Athens, Greece

 June 22-23: USAID / USEA Black Sea Transmission Planning Project (BSTP) Optimal Power Flow (OPF) Training Workshop – Budapest, Hungary

June 24, 2015: USAID / USEA Black Sea Transmission Planning Project (BSTP) Working Group Meeting – Budapest, Hungary 

June 25, 2015: USAID / USEA Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative (SECI) Transmission System Planning Project Working Group Meeting – Budapest, Hungary 

EU Energy Union May Already Be Proving Its Worth – (Oil Price) If the goal of the EU’s Energy Union is to promote interconnectedness and stimulate competition, it may already be working with a project on its southeastern periphery.  Albania has commissioned a study for an undersea electricity interconnector to Italy that it believes can be built more quickly and cheaply than a similar link proposed between Montenegro and Italy…

EurActiv: TAP pipeline secures exemption from Third Energy Package – (ACT Media) The Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP), representing the European section of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) which will bring gas from Azerbaijan, has obtained an extension of the validity period of the project’s exemption from third party access to its pipe…

Energy Community Parliamentarians agree to tackle shared challenges through common parliamentary assembly – (Energy Community) For the first time, a joint meeting between Members of the European Parliament and Members of the Energy Community Contracting Parties’ Parliaments took place on 6 May in Brussels. The meeting served to assess the progress achieved so far by the Energy Community and its role in contributing to EU energy policy objectives and tackling future challenges…

Albania and Greece in Dispute over Water Boarders for Oil and Gas Drillings – (Energetika) The Greek Foreign Ministry issued a note of protest against Tirana, reports the aforementioned news agency. Greece has expressed its concern about what it considers as lack of transparency by Albanian authorities…

Albania to build 19 new hydro-power plants – (dtt-net) Albanian government today signed deals with local companies for construction of 19 small hydro-power stations across the country…

Bulgaria

EU funds first of $725M in infrastructure upgrades – (Fierce Energy) The European Union (EU) is furthering their commitment to improving their energy infrastructure by announcing 15 grant agreements for infrastructure projects in Europe. According to the EU, the projects are the first of a total 34 projects that will receive a total of €647 million…

Turkish Stream Will Be Costlier than South Stream – Bulgaria’s Energy Minister – (Novinite) Bulgarian Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova has insisted that the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project will be costlier than the South Stream project…

Bulgaria-Serbia Gas Grid Interconnector Will Boost Energy Security –Deputy Minister – (Novinite) The construction of the Bulgaria-Serbia gas grid interconnector will boost the energy security of both countries and of the region as a whole, according to Bulgaria’s Deputy Energy Minister Nikolay Nikolov…

2 US companies interested in gas, oil search in Bulgaria’s Black Sea (ROUNDUP) – (Focus) American gas and oil company Noble Energy, which found and now operates the biggest deepwater gas field in the world in the Mediterranean Sea, is interested in expanding its activity with exploration in the Black Sea…

EVN Bulgaria: NEK Should Divide Regulated Power Price for Consumers and the Business – (Publics) Bulgaria’s National Electricity Company (NEK) could keep its income of BGN 693.4 million per year from EVN Distribution after July 1 when new power prices are expected to take effect for the regulated market…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Secretariat holds workshop on state aid in the energy sectors – (Energy Community) On 8 May 2015, representatives of national state aid monitoring authorities of the Energy Community Contracting Parties as well as representatives of the non-governmental sector participated to a workshop on state aid in the energy sectors organised by the Secretariat…

Secretariat refers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and FYR of Macedonia to Ministerial Council for failure to adopt National Renewable Energy Action Plans – (Energy Community) On 12 May the Energy Community Secretariat submitted three Reasoned Requests to the attention of the Ministerial Council as the next step in the dispute settlement cases against Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia…

Croatia

Croatia: Strong Opposition to Constructing Ombla HPP – (Energetika) DDZP forwarded its concerns to the Croatian Ministry for Environment and Nature Protection on 20 April, SEEbiz reports. In the report that was leaked to the media, it says that the construction of the Ombla HPP...

ORaH: Construction of Croatia's LNG Terminal Not Likely to Start in Mid-2016 – (Energetika) ʺIn view of the current state of the project, the announcement of Mladen Antunović, Managing Director of LNG Croatia, that the construction of the LNG terminal on Krk Island will start in mid-2016 is not in line...

Croatian Parliament Discusses New Energy Law – (Energetika) The proposals of this law are implemented in the guidelines set out in the Directive 2009/28 /EC on “the introduction of a simple notification to the competent authority to request permission when installing…

Kosovo

Brussels: Belgrade And Pristina Discuss Energy Issues – (inNews) Director of the Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) Marko Djuric will take part in talks on the issues related to the energy sector, as part of the Belgrade-Pristina technical dialogue, in Brussels on Monday…

Serbia, Kosovo fail to reach deal on energy issues – (dtt-net) Serbian and Kosovan negotiators have failed to reach agreement at the EU mediated talks held in Brussels over energy issues…

Macedonia

Macedonia Promoting Small Hydropower Plants – (Energetika) On Friday last week (8 May) the Macedonian Minister of Environment and Physical Planning, Nurhan Izairi, promoted 12 concession agreements over use of water for electricity production and construction of small...

Montenegro

Formal launch held for works on Krnovo WPP in Montenegro – report – (SeeNews) Montenegro's Krnovo Green Energy has marked the official start of construction works on the 72 MW Krnovo wind power plant (WPP) with an estimated investment value of 120 million euro ($134.8 million), local media reported on Friday…

Romania

GdF Suez: EUR 4 bln needed a year for energy infrastructure upgrade in Romania – (Romania-Insider) Romania needs investments of EUR 3 – 4 billion annually to upgrade its energy infrastructure, said Eric Stab, president of GdF Suez in Romania. These investments should be made every year until 2035…

Romania approves law on measures in the field of electricity produced – (Balkans) Romanian Parliament adopted by a large majority the legislation on measures in the field of electricity produced from renewable energy sources, according to a press release, issued by the Ministry of Energy, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and Business Environment…

UPDATE 1 - Romania's energy output rises 4.9% y/y in Q1 – (SeeNews) Romania's energy output rose by an annual 4.9% in the first quarter of the year, while imports increased by 4.5%, the statistics office, INS, said on Tuesday.  Romania's energy production totalled 5.71 million tonnes of oil equivalent (TOE) through March and imports rose to 2.58 million TOE, INS said in a statement…

Romania produces more electricity, doubles exports – (Romania-Insider) Romania’s electricity output increased by 4.5% in the first quarter of 2015, to 17 TWh, but internal consumption dropped by 3.6%, to 12.5 TWh.  Thus, the country’s electricity exports almost doubled, to 2.58 TWh, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS)…

Romania’s primary energy resources up by 4.8 pct in Q1 – (Business Review) According to a press release of the National Statistics Institute, primary energy resources increased by 4.8 percent in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the first quarter of 2014, amounting 8.294 million tones of oil equivalent…

Serbia

“Not Possible To Build Turkish Stream Through Serbia” – (inNews) Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has said that Serbia will not be getting gas via Greece, as envisioned by the Turkish Stream Project, because in that case Serbia would have to fund the construction of its section of the gas pipeline on its own and it would also be a buyer, rather than a transit country, as had been envisioned by the South Stream project…

EU Interested in Funding Serbia-Bulgaria Gas Link – (IENE) The European Commission (EC) is interested in funding major infrastructure projects in Serbia, including a gas interconnection with Bulgaria, the government in Belgrade said on Thursday, quoting EU commissioner for European neighbourhood policy and enlargement negotiations Johannes Hahn…

Belgrade and Pristina fail to reach agreement on energy – (b92) According to the director of the Serbian Government's Office for Kosovo and Metohija, this happened because "Pristina refused to meet the obligations assumed earlier."  "Pristina did not accept for the community of Serb municipalities and the Electric Power Industry of Serbia…

Armenia

Turkey’s energy minister calls on environmentalists to march against outdated nuke plant in Armenia – (Hurriyet Daily News) Energy Minister Taner Yıldız has called on environmentalists in Turkey to march together against a nuclear power plant in Armenia near the Turkish border, the life of which has been extended by 10 years although its original closing date was set for next year…

Electric Networks of Armenia asks for a dramatic rise in electricity price – (ARKA) Armenia's Russian-owned national power distribution company -  Electric Networks of Armenia - has formally asked today the Public Services Regulatory Commission to allow it to raise the price of electricity a third time in less than two years by 17.08 drams per one KWh, Mariam Stepanyan, a spokeswoman for the PSRC said to ARKA…

Armenia’s Government does everything to prevent increase in electricity tariffs: Energy Minister – (ArmenPress) The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Yervand Zakharyan thinks that the Electric Networks of Armenia has submitted a new application on the increase of the price of electricity based on the current situation…

Minister of Energy neither confirms nor denies news about ENA sale – (Panorama) Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan has neither confirmed nor denied the news about the sale of Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) company... 

Gas prices to remain unchanged for consumers in Armenia – minister – (ARKA) Gas prices will remain unchanged for consumers in Armenia, the country’s minister of energy and natural resources Yervand Zakharyan told a press conference on Wednesday…

EBRD brings modern street lighting to Armenia’s capital city – (Public Radio of Armenia) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing $4 million for a pilot project which will enable Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, to modernise its street lighting system by introducing new energy-efficient technologies…

European Bank Funds Pilot Street Lighting Project in Yerevan – (Asbarez) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing $4 million for a pilot project which will enable Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, to modernize its street lighting system by introducing new energy-efficient technologies…

Azerbaijan

Alternative energy, lights on in Azerbaijan – (Azernews) Azerbaijan’s energy export, buffeted by low oil prices, is bracing for new markets after the State Agency on Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources pledged opportunities to rise power generation…

ADB funds $750m to upgrade power distribution network in Azerbaijan – (Power-Technology) Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan to provide $750m funding for a $1bn investment programme to upgrade and expand the country's power distribution network…

Azerbaijan`s Minister of Energy attends Energy Security Summit in Germany – (Azer Tac) Azerbaijani Minister of Energy Natig Aliyev has attended Energy Security Summit in Berlin, Germany.  The Frankfurter Allgemeine Forum and the Munich Security Conference (MSC) are co-organising the Energy Security Summit…

NATO: Azerbaijan's growing role as energy supplier may offer new ideas for common activities – (Azernews) James Appathurai, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia, tells AzerNews about NATO-Azerbaijan cooperation amid the country's growing role as an energy supplier to Europe…

Azerbaijan-Turkey cooperation capable of changing Europe’s energy map – parliament speaker – (APA) Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Ogtay Asadov received on Tuesday a delegation led by Turkish deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, who is on a visit to our country, the parliament told APA…

TANAP shows Azerbaijan, Turkey’s energy power – (Azernews) The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline project is an indicator of the energy power of Azerbaijan and Turkey, said Ahmet Deniz, the governor of the Turkish province of Ardahan…

$1bn for Azerbaijan’s power network – (Energy Live News) A $1 billion (£0.65bn) fund is being invested in Azerbaijan’s power distribution network.  It will be used to upgrade and expand the power distribution lines, substations and customer service lines as well as replace existing electric meter devices with digital devices…

Azeri gas to reach Europe by 2020: Minister – (Hurriyet Daily News) Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev has said Azeri gas will reach Europe by 2020.  Speaking at a panel discussion at the Energy Security Conference in Berlin on May 7, Aliyev said a quarter of the construction on the Southern Gas Corridor had been completed…

Azerbaijan-EU Gas Pipeline Construction Ahead of Schedule – Energy Minister – (Sputnik News) Azerbaijani Energy Minister Natig Aliyev claims that the construction of the Southern Gas Corridor, that would deliver Azerbaijani natural gas to the European Union via Georgia and Turkey, is going ahead of schedule….

Georgia

Georgia’s Energy Minister: Gas prices may drop, electricity prices may rise – (Agenda.GE) The cost of power could soon increase in Georgia however the price of natural gas could drop, says the country’s Minister of Energy Kakha Kaladze.  Speaking on an analytical television show on Rustavi 2 yesterday, Kaladze mentioned price changes for gas and electricity could become a reality in Georgia in the near future…

Joint Statement of the U.S.-Georgia Economic, Trade, and Energy Working Group – (Financial) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Kurt Tong, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Jonathan Katz, and Executive Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Europe, Middle East & Africa Michael Lally represented the United States…

Georgia-United States pledge future cooperation – (Agenda.GE) The bond between Georgia and the United States (US) is strengthening, as the US side confirmed it intended to continue cooperating with Georgia in a range of sectors at a bilateral meeting between country officials today…

Moldova

Energy and Biomass Project will be part of the European Village in Chisinau and Soroca on 10 and 16 May – (AEE) Energy and Biomass Project team will participate at the Europe Days on May, 10th in Chisinau and on May 16th in Soroca. The visitors of the European Vilalge in both localities will have access to information regarding project’s activities; will find out the results obtained till now, as well as the programmes in process of implementation…

Announcement: Launch of the competition to select a laboratory for testing the solid biofuel quality in the Republic of Moldova – (AEE) The Energy Efficiency Agency, in cooperation with the Moldova Energy and Biomass Project, 2nd phase, financed by the European Union, is launching the COMPETITION for selecting a laboratory for testing the quality of solid biofuel in Moldova…

Turkey

Turkey’s transmission system operator Botas to increase cooperation with EU’s ENTSOG and Secretariat – (Energy Community) The Energy Community Secretariat hosted today a meeting between the European Network of TSOs for gas (ENTSOG) and high level representatives of Turkish gas company Botas, which is responsible also for operating the Turkish transmission gas system…

Turkey's energy projects beyond politics – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said political parties should keep in mind that investment in energy projects cannot happen without political stability…

Gazprom and Turkey agree pipeline date – (EuObserver) Russia and Turkey went a step further on Thursday (7 May) towards building the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. Gazprom and Ankara agreed to start delivering gas to the Turkish market at the end of next year…

Russia And Turkey Agree To Route For New Turkish Stream Pipeline Through Black Sea – (International Business Times) The U.S., the European Union and Russia are locked in an energy battle, and its outcome depends almost entirely on one country: Turkey. The construction of a new pipeline through the Black Sea to Turkey could tilt the balance of that game should countries such as Greece sign on to the new Russian-backed project…

Turkey’s Energy Ministry refuses to deliver int’l report on Akkuyu nuclear plant to court – (Today’s Zaman) Turkey's Energy Ministry has refused to deliver an international infrastructure report on the country's much-debated Akkuyu nuclear power plant on which construction has started in the country's southern province of Mersin to a court, saying the report concerns the security or interests of the state, a Turkish daily reported…

Turkish energy ministry covers-up report on nuclear plant – (BGN News) The Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure report prepared by the IAEA had been delivered to the Turkish energy ministry in February however the report which features numerous pointers and areas of improvements has never been made public…

Turkish Energy Ministry refuses to send int’l report about Akkuyu to court – (News.Az) The Turkish Energy Ministry has refused a court’s request to see the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report on the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project in the country’s southern province of Mersin, citing state secret security as the reason…

Nuclear energy must for Turkey: IEA chief economist – (World Bulletin) Nuclear energy is a must for Turkey especially because its energy demand grows more than any other European country, the International Energy Agency's chief economist Fatih Birol told Anadolu Agency in Doha…

Turkey aims at 30 percent renewable energy usage by 2023 – (Hurriyet Daily News) Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority has received 14 times more pre-license applications than its allocated capacity for wind power plants, Mustafa Yılmaz, head of the authority, revealed on May 6…

Turkey aims 30 percent renewable energy usage by 2023  Join our daily free Newsletter – (MENAFN) The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Turkey's Energy Market Regulatory Authority has received 14 times more pre-license applications than its allocated capacity for wind power plants, Mustafa Yilmaz, head of the authority, revealed Wednesday…

Turkey to support 28 large PV projects in 2015 – report – (SeeNews) The economy ministry of Turkey will award feed-in tariff (FiT) licences to 28 large solar photovoltaic (PV) and three wind power projects this year, news website TRT World said on Tuesday…

Turkey Gets Blockbuster Response To Wind Energy Projects Auction – (Clean Technica) Yet another renewable energy projects auction, this time in Turkey, has attracted an overwhelming response from project developers.

Ukraine

Director Kopač urges Ukrainian President to adopt energy regulator law in line with Third Package – (Energy Community) On 8 May, Director Kopač sent a letter to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko urging him to approve and submit to Ukraine's Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, a Law on the Energy Regulatory Authority in line with the Energy Community’s Third Energy Package…

Government not to extend emergency situation in energy sector in May – (Interfax-Ukraine) The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will not extend the emergency situation in the energy sector in May, the press service of the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry of Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday…

On energy, Europe looks to Ukraine and beyond – (The Christian Science Monitor) When the energy ministers of the G7 countries met in Rome last May, the Russian assault on Eastern Ukraine was in full swing. Europe and its allies were focused on energy security, an obvious preoccupation given the importance of Ukraine as a transit country for natural gas supplies to Europe…

EU Energy Chief Sefcovic Eyes Russia-Ukraine Gas Deal by June – (Bloomberg Business) The European Union will seek to broker a new natural gas agreement between Russia and Ukraine by the end of next month to keep the heating fuel flowing next winter, the bloc’s energy chief said…

Bloomberg: EU Energy Chief Sefcovic eyes Russia-Ukraine gas deal by June – (Kyiv Post) The European Union will seek to broker a new natural gas agreement between Russia and Ukraine by the end of next month to keep the heating fuel flowing next winter, the bloc’s energy chief said…

Switzerland to double grant aid to Ukraine to about $100 mln in 2015-2018 – ambassador – (Interfax-Ukraine) The Swiss Confederation has decided to double financial assistance to Ukraine in 2015-2018 issued in the form of grants for projects in the field of efficient energy use, infrastructure development and humanitarian aid to about $100 million, in particular provide funds for projects to improve drinking water quality in Donbas…

Ukraine Facing Very Difficult Year in Terms of Energy Issues – Naftogaz CEO – (Sputnik International) Ukraine is to face a very difficult year in terms of energy issues due to extremely low energy efficiency, CEO of the country’s energy company Naftogaz Andrey Kobolev said Thursday…

Ukraine rapidly dismantling Gazprom’s supply monopoly – (Ukraine Weekly) Quantitative indicators show a dramatic reorientation of Ukraine’s natural gas supply strategy. Dependence on Gazprom has become a thing of the past. Kyiv demonstrates political resolve to pursue supply diversification and adapt to changing market conditions with the European Commission’s backing…

President signs laws on energy service companies – (NRCU) Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed laws on energy service companies (ESCo) that allow them to work with budget companies, the press service of the State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine reported…

Europe’s largest nuclear power station is storing waste in a "shocking" way – (Business Insider) Concerns have been raised by environmentalists and atomic power experts over the way waste is being stored at Europe’s largest nuclear power station, in crisis-ridden Ukraine…

Energy Community director urges Ukrainian president to adopt energy regulator law – (Interfax-Ukraine) Director of the Energy Community Janez Kopač on May 8 sent a letter to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko urging him to approve and submit to Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, a law on the energy regulatory authority in line with the Energy Community’s Third Energy Package, the press service of Energy Community reported…

 

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.