Albania

ERE grants six licenses for renewable energy production in Albania – (Balkans) Power generation from wind, sun, or other alternative sources, by 2020 will be at the level of 20% of the total electricity produced in Albania…

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Renewable Energy Producers Demand Resignation of Caretaker Minister – (Novinite) The Bulgarian Photovoltaic Association (BPVA) has called for the resignation of Asen Vasilev, caretaker Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, over discriminatory treatment of renewable energy producers…

EU Ready to Adopt Measures Over CEZ in Bulgaria – (Fried I News) According to reports by CTK on Friday, the EU is now prepared to adopt measures to stabilize the Czech power supplier’s position in Bulgaria….

Bulgaria's Energy Sector Generated 79.9% of GHG Emissions in 2011 – (Novinite) Bulgaria's energy sector remains one of the major sources of emissions of sulfur dioxide and the main source of nitrous oxide emissions, according to a report for 2011….

Renewable Energy Power Plants in Bulgaria to Function at Reduced Capacity for 7 Hrs on Thursday – (Novinite) The three power distributors functioning in Bulgaria, CEZ, Energo-Pro and EVN, will introduce temporary restrictions on the production of electricity by renewable energy power plants... 

Bulgaria imposes temporary cuts to renewable energy generation – (Sofia Globe) Bulgaria’s power grid operator ESO has asked the country’s three electricity distribution companies to limit the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources on April 25 in order to prevent the grid from overloading…

Bulgaria's Power Grid Operator Extends Capacity Restrictions for Renewable Energy Plants – (Novinite) The restrictions on the capacity of renewable energy plants serviced by the three distributors operating in Bulgaria will remain in force on Friday…

Bulgaria’s Public Council on Energy to hold 4th sitting – (Focus) Public Council on Energy with the interim Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Asen Vasilev, will hold its fourth sitting on Friday, April 26, the press office of the ministry announced…

Croatia

Croatia talking with energy majors on Adriatic gas – (BNE) The Croatian government says it has opened talks with Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips and General Electric over oil and gas exploration projects in the Croatian section of the Adriatic Sea…

Kosovo

Turks Sound Wary Over KEK Upgrades – (Balkan Insight) The Kosovo Energy Corporation, KEK, has signed more than 400,000 euro in contracts to upgrade its distribution network – just before it is due to come under the ownership of a Turkish consortium…

Macedonia

Macedonia's Sol Hydropower launches SHPP project – (Hydro World) Macedonian company Sol Hydropower has launched the construction on the Bistrica river, in the country's northwest, of the first of four planned small hydro power plants (SHPPs), the economy ministry said on Tuesday…

Montenegro

Montenegro holds talks with Albania on regional energy projects – (Sofia Globe) The talks were held in Tirana during an official meeting between the Albanian Foreign Minister, Aldo Bumçi and the Montenegrin Ambassador in Albania, Ferhat Dinosha. The meeting focused on bilateral co-operation in the energy sector and both officials emphasised that TAP and IAP projects should be endorsed as soon as possible, due to the significant importance that they bear…

Romania

Foreign Investors: Romania has the third most energy intensive economy in the EU, measures needed for energy efficiency – (Daily News) Romania lags behind other European countries when it comes to applying energy efficiency measures, and it has plenty of room for improvement, warn the foreign investors in the country, via the foreign Investors Council – FIC…

BRD, Swiss Capital to broker stock listing of Romanian energy producer Complexul Energetic Oltenia – (Romania Insider) BRD – Groupe Société Générale and Swiss Capital will broker the primary public offering for 12 percent in Romanian energy producer Complexul Energetic Oltenia. The consortium recently won the bid to broker the stock exchange listing, after being the only contestant in the race…

FIC: Romania should continue to stimulate investments in energy efficiency and clean technologies – (Balkans) Romania has the third most energy intensive economy in the EU and should continue to stimulate investments in energy efficiency and clean technologies, according to a report issued by the Energy Task Force of the Foreign Investors Council (FIC)…

Wind energy develops spectacularly in Romania in 2012 – (Act Media) Romania was a leader among the wind energy emerging markets in Europe in 2012. It installed capacities amounting to 932 MW, almost twice as much as the 520 MW installed in 2011, and came to have a cumulated capacity of 1,905 MW late last year…

Interim PM chairs meeting on Moldova-Romania energy interconnection projects = (Bsanna) Interim Prime Minister Iurie Leanca today chaired a working meeting on the Moldova-Romania energy interconnection projects, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported…

Romanian state – owned Transgaz and Romgaz get new private managers – (Romania Insider) Two new private managers are about to be named at the helms of Romanian state owned companies Transgaz and Romgaz…

Serbia

Serbian Electricity Bill Debtors Risk Power Cuts – (Balkan Insight) Companies and individual consumers who have failed to reschedule their electricity debts face power cuts from May…

Mihajlovic: Restructuring Of Public Energy Companies Is Necessary – (In Serbia) Serbian Minister of Energy Zorana Mihajlovic stated on Thursday that Serbia has to restructure major public companies such as Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) and Srbijagas in order to take the advantages in the Southeast Europe energy market…

Serbia has adopted regulations to facilitate investment in the energy sector – (Balkans) Serbia's Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection Zorana Mihajlovic said yesterday that the members of the Energy Community of South East Europe aim to provide energy security in the region…

Electrawinds’ Serbian Wind Farm in Running for World Bank Loan – (Bloomberg) Electrawinds SE (EWI)’s Serbian wind farm is being considered by the World Bank’s International Finance Corp. for an award of 59.2 million euros ($77 million) of loans to help the nation curb power shortages and reliance on coal…

Armenia

Clean Energy and SolArt sign cooperation memorandum to explore Armenia’s pure energy filed – (ARKA) Clean Energy non-governmental  organization said it has signed a memorandum of cooperation with  SolArt company to work together to explore renewable energy potential  in Armenia…

Sarkisyan becomes prime minister again – (VESTNIK) President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree to reappoint Tigran Sarkisyan to the post of prime minister. The new government should be announced after the elections to the Yerevan City Council on May 5…

Gas supplies to Armenia renewed – (VESTNIK) Gas supply of Armenia from Georgia was renewed last night, ArmRosgazprom reports.  The gas supply was stopped for maintenance operations on the Kazakh-Saguramo pipeline at 10.00 pm on April 25…

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan discusses energy problems at Brookings Institution – (VESTNIK) Spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Elman Abdullayev said at the Southern Energy Corridor conference at the research center of the Brookings Institution that enforcement of security and stability in South Caucasus had been the main problem of Azerbaijan since becoming an independent state…

Nabucco-West backers take pot shot at rival bid – (Asia Times) The governments of transit countries in the Nabucco-West project - Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria - have appealed to the European Union's top executive authorities to support the selection of this pipeline route by the Shah Deniz gas producers in Azerbaijan…

IFC plans to fund renewable energy projects in Azerbaijan – (Azernews) The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, intends to expand the practice of granting loans to banks in Azerbaijan to finance renewable energy and energy efficiency (RE/EE-credit) projects…

Azeri minister in Norway to talk gas pipelines – (UPI) Foreign partners looking for options to deliver natural gas to European consumers need the best commercial project available, the Azeri energy minister said…

Azerbaijan to choose between Nabucco, TAP on commercial terms – (EurActiv) Azerbaijan's choice between two pipeline projects to carry its gas to Europe must focus on obtaining the strongest commercial terms, Industry and Energy Minister Natik Aliyev said on Tuesday (30 April)...

Hybrid power plants may be set up across Azerbaijan – (Azernews) Azerbaijan is rich in energy resources, including considerable alternative and renewable sources, such as wind, solar and geothermal energy, European Union Delegation head Roland Kobia has said at a press conference…

Baku's energy operator reduces volume of electricity purchases – (Trend) In the first quarter of 2013, Bakyelektrikshebeke JSC (the sale and distribution of electricity in Baku) purchased 2.46 billion kilowatt/hours…

Georgia

Powers of KazTransGas-Tbilisi’s manager from Georgia extended until June 1 – (Trend) The powers of a manager from Georgia, appointed to KazTransGas-Tbilisi were extended until June 1. The decision was taken by the Georgian National Electricity Regulatory Commission today…

Italian firm completes study of Georgian Hydro Power Plant' cascade project – (Azernews) Georgia's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Kakhi Kaladze met with representatives of the Italian Studio Pietrangeli consulting company on Monday…

Georgia postpones Khudoni hydropower plant construction – (Azernews) Georgia made a decision on postponing of the construction of the Khudoni Hydropower Plant (HPP).  Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said that the date of issuing a permit for the Khudoni HPP construction was postponed to March 1, 2014…

RPT-Fitch affirms Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation at 'BB-'; outlook stable – (Reuters) Fitch Ratings has affirmed JSC Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation's (GOGC) Long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'BB-' with a Stable Outlook and senior unsecured rating on its USD250m bond maturing in 2017 at 'BB-'. A complete list of rating actions is below…

Russia

Russia to spend over $30 billion in nuclear energy development – (RT) Russia will expend one trillion rubles ($31.3 billion) to develop its nuclear power industry through to 2015. Russia’s next-generation nuclear power plants will have an improved safety design, as well as an improved water desalination system…

Russia unveils draft renewable energy law – (PV Magazine) Russia’s Energy Ministry submitted a draft renewable energy law to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev for approval on 15 April. It is aimed at supporting the deployment of renewable energy sources including solar, wind and hydroelectric power plants across the country…

Russian Gas, European Integration and the Fate of Ukraine – (ISN) After years of protracted negotiations, Ukraine is almost ready to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union. Today, Robert Cutler describes how the agreement might impact the fate of Ukraine’s Russia-to-Europe gas transit system…

Oil-Rich Russia Works To Increase Renewable Energy Share – (Clean Technica) The energy ministry of Russia has submitted a draft law to Dmitri Mededev that is intended to support the development of renewable energy sources, including solar power, wind power, and hydroelectric power…

Petronet in Talks With Russia for Gas Imports – (Wall Street Journal) India's largest importer of liquefied natural gas is negotiating with the world's largest gas producer to supply three million and four million metric tons a year of the fuel…

Turkey

Turkish firm gets deal to sell electricity to KRG – (Daily News) Turkish energy company Kartet has secured a deal to export electricity to northern Iraq and has applied for an export license…

Turkey to continue importing Iran’s gas: Turkish energy minister – (Press TV) The Turkish energy minister says Turkey will continue importing natural gas from Iran, despite US pressure to hinder the Tehran-Ankara energy cooperation…

Last call for license return to ‘inactives’ in Turkey – (Daily News) Many energy companies took licenses to produce electricity in recent years but most have failed to produce any thus far…

Turkey Excess Power Seen Delaying Projects as Zorlu Prefers Coal – (Bloomberg Business Week) Excess electricity capacity threatens investment in Turkey’s power industry and is leading Zorlu Enerji (ZOREN) Elektrik Uretim AS to favor an investment in a more economical coal-fired plant, its chief executive said…

Turkey rediscovers potential in geothermal energy – (World Bulletin) Turkey is rediscovering its geothermal energy resources. Rich in geothermal resources, Turkey increased its drilling activities from 2,000 meters to 28,000 meters; and its utilizable heat capacity to 4,813 MWt by the end of 2012 with an increase by 46 percent in the last seven years…

Turkey to moderate Int’l Energy Agency – (Daily News) Turkey will be the interim president of the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) platform starting in November 2013…

‘Nuclear energy is the right choice for Turkey’ - Head of Rosatom – (The Voice of Russia) In his interview to the Voice of Russia the head of Rosatom Sergey Kirienko stated the development of the global energy sector is impossible without nuclear power stations…

Iran to Increase Natural Gas Exports to Turkey – (Energy Tribune) Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said here Sunday that Iran’s natural gas exports to Turkey will increase following the establishment of a planned joint pipeline, according to Press TV…

Turkey at the Crossroads of European Energy Politics – (Electric Light and Power) The availability of energy has become crucial for the economies of all the developed and the developing countries of the world…

Ukraine

Europe, Ukraine Have Opposing Natural Gas Ideas – (Energy Tribune) EU members might not be on the same page as the Ukrainian government when it comes to natural gas, scholars said…

Ukraine criticizing Energy Community, not preparing any documents on its exit, says Boiko – (KyivPost) Ukraine is not happy with its cooperation with the Energy Community because it does not observe its national interests, but is not going to leave the organization, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Yuriy Boiko said in an interview with the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia newspaper, published on Saturday…

EBRD boosts renewable energy sector portfolio in Ukraine – (Emerging Markets) The EBRD continues promoting and supporting renewable energy projects in Ukraine aimed at reducing the environmental impact of traditional power generation…

European Commission: Cooperation with EU to protect Ukraine's energy security in relationship with Russia  -(NRCU) The office of European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger told Ukrinform on Tuesday, commenting on the statement by Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov that Russia will ensure the transit of gas to Europe via Ukraine, provided that a bilateral consortium to manage the Ukrainian gas transit system is created without the participation of the European Union…

EU, Ukraine play each other on pipeline – (New Europe) On 3 May, Ukraine and the EU are expected to hold a roundtable in Brussels regarding further development of the Ukrainian gas market…

Three scenarios for Ukraine – (EurActiv) “After recent meetings of Ukrainian high authorities’ representatives with Commissioner Štefan Füle and other EU officials, it seems that Brussels is going to prolong the May deadline for necessary reforms to Association Agreement (AA) signing till the end of this summer…

Ukraine to complete first nuclear fuel plant in 2015: minister – (Global Times) Ukraine hoped to complete the construction of its first nuclear fuel plant in 2015, Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky said Friday...

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.