Albania

Two new hydropower plants in Albania – (Financial) The EBRD is supporting private sector investment in renewable energy generation in Albania with a €5.2 million loan to the Hydro Power Plant of Korca sh.p.k., to finance the construction of two small hydropower plants in the eastern part of the country…

 Albania, Greece and Italy support TAP project – (Balkans) The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline project (TAP), has recently received a boost to its plans to secure the Southern Corridor, due to the increased cooperation by the three interested countries, namely Italy, Greece and Albania…

 EBRD extends EUR 5.2mn loan for hydropower project in Albania – (Hydro World) The EBRD said it has extended EUR 5.2mn loan to Albanian company Hydro Power Plant of Korca in order to finance the construction of a hydropower cascade in the eastern part of the country…

Bulgaria

Bulgarian energy regulatory body to discuss natural gas price – (Focus) Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission is to discuss natural gas price at an open meeting on Tuesday…

 Bulgarian Mines Contract Risk Engineering for Energy Efficiency – (Novinite) Bulgarian company Risk Engineering AD has been contracted to boost the energy efficiency of the heavy mining equipment at the state-owned Mini Maritsa Iztok EAD (Maritsa East Mines)…

 Bulgaria's State-Owned Gas Supplier with Debts of BGN 300 M – (Novinite) Bulgarian state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz has warned about a potential scarcity of natural gas in the first quarter of 2013…

 Bulgarian Renewable Energy Producers Protest Grid Access Fee – (Novinite) Renewable energy producers and employees in the industry staged a protest Monday morning in front of the building of Bulgaria's State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR)…

 Green energy firms to take Bulgaria to court over new fees – (Reuters) Renewable energy developers will take Bulgaria's energy regulator to court and alert Brussels over what they called "illegal" new fees on wind and solar installations that will deal a heavy blow to the sector, they said on Wednesday…

 Grid Access Fee to Prevent Electricity Price Hike in 2013 – Bulgarian Watchdog – (Novinite) Angel Semerdzhiev, Chair of the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR), has claimed that some producers of renewable electricity were connected to the grid illegally…

Bosnia

Bosnia's Serb Republic sign MoU on South Stream branch with Gazprom – (Balkans) Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and President of Bosnia's Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik signed a memorandum in Sochi on Monday to discuss the possibility of building a South Stream pipeline branch to Republika Srpska and the gasification of settlements along the branch, Gazprom said in a press release, Interfax reports…

 Bosnia EPBiH extends bidding for 450 MW coal-fired unit – (Reuters) Bosnian power utility EPBiH has extended by two weeks to Sept. 28 the deadline for submission of non-binding bids for the construction of a 450 megawatt coal-fired unit at its Tuzla power plant…

 Energy efficiency project starts in Bosnia's Bihac – (Balkins) Enterprise Energy Efficiency (3E) Project has partnered with Bihac municipality, Una Sana Canton (USK), and UNDP BiH to participate in a pilot project to improve energy efficiency in three Bihac buildings: the cultural center, art school, and museum…

Croatia

Croatia: Moody's downgrades HEP's ratings – (Balkans) Moody's Investors Service has today downgraded to Ba2 from Ba1 the corporate family rating (CFR) and probability of default rating (PDR) of Hrvatska Elektroprivreda d.d. ("HEP"). The outlook on the ratings remains negative…

 Six bidders interested in Croatia's coal power plant – (Reuters) Six companies have expressed interest in becoming a strategic partner of Croatia's state power utility HEP for the construction and operation of a coal-fired thermal plant with a capacity of around 500 megawatts…

Macedonia

Macedonia Terminates Sixth Unsuccessful Tender for $908 Million USD Hydro Project – (Ooskanews) The Macedonian government has canceled its its sixth attempt to tender the $908 million USD contract to build and manage the Cebren and Galiste hydropower plants on the Crna Reka (River) last week…

 Improving energy efficiency for housing in FYR Macedonia's city Kumanovo – (Balkans) The USAID project Improving Energy Efficiency for the Low-Income Housing Sector is helping residents of low-income housing in Kumanovo to lower their energy consumption and costs, as well as to strengthen their homeowners associations…

 Macedonia cancels hydro power plant tender – (Reuters) Macedonia has cancelled a tender to award concessions to build two 526-megawatt hydro power plants because the two bids were unacceptable, a spokeswoman for the economy ministry said on Thursday…

 Drought-Stricken Macedonia Saves Water for Electricity – (Ooskanews) Macedonia’s state-owned electric company, Elektrani na Makedonija (ELEM), is conserving the water in the country’s reservoirs in anticipation of a dry autumn…

Montenegro

Montenegro: EPCG to cut KAP's electricity supply on 30 September – (Balkans) On 30 September, Elektroprivreda (EPCG) will stop supplying electricity to the Aluminium Plant Podgorica (KAP), the power company announced…

 A reduction of electricity consumption by the Montenegrin KAP will probably be postponed – (Balkans) A reduction of electricity consumption by the Aluminium Plant Podgorica (KAP) will probably be postponed for several days, in order to find an optimum solution acceptable to everybody, said the Government s representative at the plant s Board of Directors Nebojsa Dozic.

 Montenegro and Italy to enhance economic cooperation – (Balkans) During his official visit to Italy, Montenegro's Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nebojša Kaluđerović met with his Italian counterpart Julio Terci…

Romania

EBRD Studies Loan for Romanian Wind Farm Sought by ERG, Lukoil – (Bloomberg Business Week) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is considering a loan for a Romanian wind farm being bought by a joint venture between Italy’s ERG SpA (ERG) and Russia’s OAO Lukoil…

 Romanian Power Games and the Solar Sector – (Solar Novus Today) Romania has been mired recently in the deepest crisis seen in the last twenty years. Prime Minister Victor Ponta and President Traian Basescu fight an embittered struggle over political power, which has affected the financial stability of the country…

 Romania is ranked 13 in the All energy renewables index at August 2012 – (Balkans) Romania was ranked 13 out of 40 in the All renewables index at August 2012 of renewable energy country attractiveness put together by Ernst & Young…

 Romanian Gov't approves memorandum on renegotiating 2 conventions on natural gas transmission from Russia – (Actmedia)  Romania will renegotiate with Russia two conventions on making available the gas transmission capacity on the gas pipelines located on the Romanian territory, in its entirety…

Serbia

Serbia expected to have energy problems in the winter – (Balkans) Serbia in September signed a multi-billion-euro energy deal with Germany's RWE, part of the new government's drive to kick start investment in the sector and head off a looming energy crisis. However, a drought-stricken summer that cut electricity production by about a third means it has the more immediate problem of dealing with a severe energy shortfall this coming winter…

 Serbia Seeks Investors to Expand Power Output, Cut Imports – (Bloomberg Business Week) Serbia plans to cut red tape to attract investors in energy projects and increase power production, reducing dependence on imports, Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said…

 RWE to collaborate with Serbian energy utility EPS – (International Water Power) RWE and Serbian state-owned energy utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see them collaborate in energy sector projects in Serbia, with a major focus on hydropower development…

Armenia

Armenian Nuclear Power Plant Being Renovated – (The Messenger Online) On September 15th Armenia's one operational nuclear power plant at Metsamor temporarily closed…

 Armenian Nuclear Power Plant stops energy production – (News.AM) The second bloc of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP) has stopped producing energy since Sept. 15, the Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources reports…

 Armenia interested in attracting private investments in energy sector – PM – (PanArmenian) Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with a German delegation led by Commit Group president Gerrit Schmitter…

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Turkey to discuss Energy Bridge project- (Trend) Azerbaijan intends to export electricity to the amount of 750 million kilowatt hours per year under the Energy Bridge project to Turkey via ...

 BP will have to invest more in Azeri project, sources claim – ( Daily News) BP will have to invest billions of dollars more than previously planned if it is to slow falling output at an Azeri oil project that is also that country’s biggest economic resource, oil executives and diplomats say…

 Azerbaijan to delay cuts of its oil export through Russia until 2013 – (SteelGURU) Reuters reported that Azeri state energy company SOCAR delayed its decision to cut oil exports via Russia until 2013 and will export 2.0 million tonnes this year through its ex-Soviet neighbour the same as in 2011…

 Ministry of Industry & Energy: Azerbaijan needs to find real price of electricity from alternative sources – (ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The Ministry of Industry & Energy of Azerbaijan pointed to the basic question for the development of alternative energy in the country…

 Azerbaijan and Turkey to start gas pipeline – (Financial Times)  Azerbaijan and Turkey plan to start work this year on a gas pipeline that would form the first leg of a new supply route that Europe hopes will reduce its dependence on Russian energy…

 Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey Hold Pipeline-Security Exercises – (Radio Free Europe) Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish troops have begun an exercise aimed at improving security for energy pipelines…

 Alternative & Renewable Energy Company’s constituent documents accorded and submitted to Azerbaijan’s Cabinet – (ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Establishment of the State Company for Alternative & Renewable Energy in Azerbaijan in accord with the relevant presidential decree from 1 June has entered the final stage…

 This August Azerbaijan again almost stops power export – (ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. In August, Azerbaijan, which keeps on remaining a net exporter of electric power for the fourth year running, almost ceased export electric power resumed in July…

Georgia

Georgia has potential for 5-fold electricity production – (Vestnik) Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili observed dam construction on River Aragvi in the Dushetsky District of the Mtskhet-Tineti Region, Trend reports…

 Penspen wins AGRI pipe study – (Upstream) UK-based engineering consultancy Penspen has won a feasibility study from AGRI LNG for a proposed pipeline to transport gas from the Capian region to European markets…

 Georgian National Energy Commission comments on selling KazTransGas - Tbilisi company – (Trend) Georgian National Energy Commission Chairman Guram Chalagashvili has made his first comment on the possible sale of KazTransGas - Tbilisi…

 PM: Georgia masters only 20 percent of energy potential – (Trend) Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili visited Dusheti and inspected the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the river Aragvi. Construction work on the White Aragvi began in April and will be completed in January next year…

Russia

Russia’s Grid Operator to Start Energy Sales, Vedomosti Says – (Bloomsberg Business Week) Federal Grid Co. (FEES) plans to start selling electricity to customers after merging with OAO MRSK Holding (MRSK), Vedomosti newspaper reported, citing an MRSK presentation to the Ministry of Energy…

 Gazprom’s Power Unit Bears Brunt of Electricity Tariff Freeze – (Bloomberg) OAO Gazprom (OGZD), the world’s biggest natural-gas producer, said profits from its power division will be hurt by the government’s decision to hold off from raising electricity tariffs in the run-up to elections…

 Gazprom eyes Balkan route for S. Stream – (UPI) SOCHI, Russia, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Gazprom touted the benefits of natural gas during discussions on the South Stream pipeline with delegates from the Balkan Peninsula….

 Gazprom and Russian energy politics – (The National Business Review) Russian state-owned energy leviathan Gazprom is being seriously challenged for hegemony over Russia’s lucrative natural gas industry, a problem for the company and Moscow…

 Russia is standing on the threshold of nuclear rates – (RusBusiness News) The new BN-800 fast-neutron reactor is scheduled for commissioning at the Beloyarsky Nuclear Power Plant in 2014. The total generation capacity of the plant will reach 2.5 thousand megawatt after completion of the planned construction and commissioning of another unit, one and a half times as powerful…

 Gazprom kicks EU gas complaint up to Kremlin – (Reuters) The European Commission must take its challenge to Gazprom's (GAZP.MM) pricing on European gas markets to the Kremlin, the export chief of the world's largest gas company said, signaling its gas exports were now under political control…

 Russia decided to extend gas natural resource extraction tax concessions for fields in Yakutia – (Steelguru) Interfax cited Mr Alexander Novak energy minister of Russia as saying that the Russian government has decided to extend gas natural resource extraction tax concessions for fields in Yakutia, the Krasnoyarsk territory and Irkutsk region until January 1st 2022…

Turkey

Turkish Minister: Turkey supports both routes of gas supply from Azerbaijan to Europe – (Trend) The final route of gas supply will be determined by Shah Deniz consortium after consideration of proposals of Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and Nabucco, Turkish minister of energetics and natual resources Taner Yildiz reported to Anadolu agency on Tuesday…

 Arbil Seeks Turkey as Bridge to EU Gas Market – (Turkish Weekly) The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq has plans to sell its gas to Europe via Turkey and for a new crude pipeline project, according to Ashti Hawrami, the KRG energy minister…  

 Minister: Turkey, Iran can sign new agreements in energy sector – (Trend) Turkey and Iran can sign new agreements in the energy sector, Anadolu agency quotes Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner...

 UK-based RES Energy is set to construct a 48MW wind energy plant in the Black Sea province of Samsun – (The Construction Index) RES Anatolia has acquired a licence for the  wind farm in Havza. Construction is planned to start early in 2014 for operation in 2016. The company is planning to develop further solar and wind farms in Turkey and to grow its portfolio by 50MW to 100MW every year over the next 10 years…

 Iraqi Kurds Count on Turkey as Energy Hub Amid Friction – (Turkish Weekly) Ashti Hawrami, the KRG’s energy minister, says that with a network of pipelines spanning Turkey to export oil, the KRG aims to become a major global energy player…

 Turkish power ship to sail out under $20 million deal  (Nation) - Realising the failure on its part to provide 200MW power supply to Pakistan under the agreement, Karkey Karadeniz Electric Uretim dropped the idea of taking the matter to the International Arbitration Court… 

Verbund Considers Increasing Investments in Turkish Hydro Power – (Bloomberg) Verbund AG (VER), Austria’s biggest utility, is considering whether to increase its investments in Turkish hydropower, according to a company official…

 Turkey invests in pounltry manure potential to produce electricity – (World Poultry) A €8.6 million biogas facility is to be established in Bandırma, one of the leading poultry centres in the Turkish province of Balıkesir…

Ukraine

Ukraine starts construction of 750kV power transmission line – (EBR) Ukraine has begun construction of a 353km power line with transmission capacity of 750kV - a move that would help the country stabilise electricity supply to central Ukraine, Kyiv and Odesa… 

EU, U.S. call on Ukraine to review updated draft energy strategy – (KyivPost) The European Union and the United States have urged Ukraine to review the updated draft Energy Strategy of Ukraine for the period of up to 2030, saying the document is based on unrealistic projections of the development of the national economy, is not consistent with other legislation, and does not account for all of the international obligations of the state…

 EIB supports utilisation of renewable energy resources in Ukraine – (Invest in EU) The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 200 million to finance the implementation of the ambitious UkrHydroEnergo programme focused on modernising and upgrading electrical energy generation from hydropower…

 Ukraine’s power grid insolvent – (The Voice of Russia) According to Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Vladimir Litvin, Ukraine’s national electricity company has no money to pay its debts to the Russian Defence Ministry, which accrued in the 1990s when the company was run by the now imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko…

 EIB supports renewable energy resources in Ukraine – (Euro east) The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €200 million to fund the ambitious UkrHydroEnergo programme focused on modernising and upgrading electrical energy generation from hydropower…

 EIB to lend EUR 200 m to Ukraine to renovate hydropower plants – (Interfax)) The European Investment Bank (EIB) will grant Ukraine a credit worth EUR 200 million for the renovation of hydropower plants…

 UKRAINE ERECTS MOST POWERFUL TRANSMISSION LINES IN EUROPE – (Melodika) Ukraine launched the construction of a 353 kilometer long power line with the electricity transmission capacity of 750 kV. The new transmission line will be the fourth one in Ukraine and in Europe with such capacity…

 Parliament ratifies credit agreement worth EUR 200 m signed with EBRD to renovate hydropower plants – (Interfax) The Ukrainian parliament has ratified a credit agreement signed between Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) regarding a project on the renovation of hydroelectric power plants under the management of public joint-stock company Ukrhydroenergo…

 Europe divided over shale gas – (Hindu Business Line) At the height of winter, in January 2009, Russia cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine, and therefore much of Europe, as tensions mounted between the two nations over gas prices…

 Why did a Kyiv court rule in favor of Russia? – (Day Weekly Digest) A Ukrainian court handed down quite a sensational ruling the other day. It ordered Ukraine to pay Russia 3.113 billion hryvnias to discharge a debt of the United Energy Systems of Ukraine (UESU), even though the Minister of Justice, Oleksandr Lavrynovych, has already said that the state should not pay off private debts. Moreover, there are no legally-confirmed state guarantees with respect to the UESU debt…

 Ukraine to Potentially Triple Shale Output in Decade, Shell Says – (Bloomberg) Ukraine could potentially double or even triple natural-gas production in a decade after it starts shale extraction, according to Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (RDSA)…

 Yatseniuk: Russia effectively controls Ukraine's energy market – (KyivPost) Ukraine's energy policy should be based on equal cooperation between Russia as a supplier, Ukraine as a transiting country, and the European Union as an energy consumer, Chairman of the Council of the Batkivschyna United Opposition Arseniy Yatseniuk has said…

 

   

 

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.