Europe & Eurasia Energy News Articles for April 17, 2014
Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region. Click on the links for access to original publications
USAID/USEA ETAG Upcoming Events
April 19 USEA Membership Briefing – The Atlantic Wind Connection. Washington, DC
April 23 USEA Annual Membership Meeting and Public Policy Forum. Washington, DC
June 2-3 USAID/USEA Southeast Europe Distribution System Operator (DSO) Working Group Meeting
June 4-5 USAID/USEA Dynamic Analysis Training
June 6 USAID/USEA Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative Transmission System Planning Project (SECI) Working Group Meeting
June 9-10 USAID/USEA Black Sea Regional Transmission System Planning Project (BSTP) Dynamic Analysis Training Tbilisi, Georgia
June 11 USAID/USEA Black Sea Regional Transmission System Planning Project (BSTP) Working Group Meeting Tbilisi, Georgia
June 12 Joint Working Group Meeting: USAID/USEA Black Sea Regional Transmission System Planning Project (BSTP) & USAID/NARUC Black Sea Regulatory Initiative (BSRI) Tbilisi, Georgia
June 13 USAID/USEA Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey (AGT) Power Bridge Project Working Group Meeting Tbilisi, Georgia
Albania
Albania readies power imports to make up for drought – (EINNews) Albania is working to arrange the import of electricity worth up to 90 million euros ($124.93 million) to make up for the loss of domestic output caused by a drought, officials said on Friday…
Albania is working to arrange the import of electricity – (Balkans) Albania is working to arrange the import of electricity worth up to 90 million euros ($124.93 million) to make up for the loss of domestic output caused by a drought, officials said on Friday…
TAP re-launches its procurement process – (Energy Global) Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has taken the decision to re-launch its procurement process, following a review of its strategy and schedule. TAP will therefore initiate new pre-qualifications for goods and services that the natural gas pipeline project requires…
TAP pipeline group re-launches procurement process – (Reuters) The Trans Adriatic Gas Pipeline Group (TAP) said on Tuesday that it was re-launching a procurement process for goods and services that the project requires to transport Azeri gas into the European Union towards the end of this decade…
Albania gave one of the most important permits for construction of Trans-Adriatic pipeline – (ABC.AZ) Consortium established for construction and operation of the Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP) announced that it had received one of the most important permits for starting the construction works in Albania…
Bulgaria
Large Bulgarian Companies Buy Electricity from Abroad – (Novinite) An increasing number of large Bulgarian companies buy electricity from abroad, said the chairperson of the Institute for Energy Management Ivanka Dilovska at an energy forum. According to her the trend started in the past several months and will most likely increase until the full capacity of imports is reached…
EURELECTRIC Warns the EC About Negative Regulatory Trends in Bulgaria – (Publics) The Union of the Electricity Industry in Europe said the procedure for revoking the licences of the three Bulgarian public suppliers of electricity, initiated by the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (the regulator), is unprecedented in the EU…
Belene NPP 'to Be Built,' Vows Bulgaria's Ruling Party MP – (Novinite) Everything will be done to make Belene Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) reality, Bulgarian ruling party's lawmaker Yavor Kuyumdzhiev said on Tuesday. "If Bulgaria wants to develop, it needs electricity. Otherwise we would even go back - we could use cabs and…
EU energy security is only as strong as its weakest link: the former Eastern Bloc – (The Conversation) With tensions running high in Ukraine and the release of the third part of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, energy security and climate change are on governments' agendas. Specifically, how to reduce carbon emissions without compromising energy security…
Romania's Solar Industry Sees Rapid Expansion – (Solar Novus Today) With the Romanian solar energy industry forecast to continue its rapid development in the upcoming years, a number of foreign investors are expanding into the country’s photovoltaic market…
Global Green Energy Spending Falls, But Generation Rises – (Next City) Last year, green energy’s share of the global energy market inched up from 7.8 percent in 2012 to 8.5 percent, even while total investment in renewables fell by 14 percent. These numbers, reported in the 2014 edition of an annual…
Bulgarian govt to answer all questions about energy policy asked by EU Commissioner Oettinger – (Focus) Bulgaria will answer all questions that EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger asked in his letter to Bulgarian government, Bulgarian PM Plamen Oresharski said at a meeting with civic organisations…
Smart meters: too little, too late? – (E&T) As the government prepares to roll out further renewable incentives to encourage an uptake in renewables on a domestic scale in the UK, will the lower costs to householders and the carbon emission cuts that can be achieved by these measures be worth the investment…
CEZ Taking Bids on EU's Biggest On-Shore Wind Farm, Staying in Bulgaria – (ACT Media) The Czech Republic's 70% state-owned power company CEZ AS (BAACEZ.PR) is mulling the sale of Europe's largest on-shore wind farm in Romania and is committed to staying in Bulgaria as it faces hurdles in those countries due to renewable-energy subsidy regimes, a senior company official said Thursday…
Bulgarian Energy Minister: "Bulgaria may import gas from Azerbaijan" – (APA) According to the Minister of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria Dragomir Stoynev, Sofia is closely following the developments in Ukraine, which could lead to interruptions in the supply of Russian gas…
Energy Ministry Blames GERB Govt for Debts of Bulgarian Power Co – (Novinite) Deputy Economy and Energy Minister Ivan Ayolov has suggested that center-right party GERB should be held accountable for the record-high debts of the National Electric Company,NEK…
Bulgaria renews call for supervision to refurbish 700-kW Studena Dam – (HydroWorld) Bulgaria's Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW) invites expressions of interest from consultants to supervise rehabilitation construction of 700-kW Studena Dam. Responses are due April 28…
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia's EPBiH secures EIB loan for hydro power project– (Reuters) The European Investment Bank (EIB) will lend Bosnia's top power utility EPBiH 37.5 million euros ($51.8 million) to help it build a 20 megawatt (MW) hydropower plant on the Bosna river, EPBiH said on Thursday…
European Investment Bank approves €37.5m loan for Bosnian hydro plant – (NewNet) The European Investment Bank has issued a €37.5m loan for Bosnia’s biggest power utility Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBiH) to fund the construction of the Vranduk hydro power plant…
EIB to support Bosnia's 20MW hydropower plant – (EBR) The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved €37.5m loan to Bosnia's power utility Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBiH) to support construction of a 20MW hydropower plant. To be built on the Bosna river, the Vranduk hydro power plant is expected to cost €75m. Earlier, the project has received a loan of €26m from EIB…
Croatia
INA urges Croatia's government to halt forced gas sale – (Reuters) Croatian oil and gas firm INA urged the government on Wednesday to halt a forced sale of its gas reserves from the country's storage facility, saying it would cause big losses and put jobs at risk…
Croatia's INA warns of losses over forced gas sale – (Reuters) Croatian oil and gas company INA said its gas trading arm could lose up to 350 million kuna ($63.7 million) due to a forced sale of its reserves in the Croatian gas storage facility…
Croatia doubles FiT connected solar capacity in two months – (PVTech) Croatia has an installed solar capacity of 23.8MW register for its feed-in tariff (FiT) as of the end of March, according to the Mediterranean country’s energy market operator, HROTE...
Kosovo
Workshop participants discuss gas network codes implementation in the Energy Community – (Energy Community) Today, the Secretariat hosted a workshop in cooperation with the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) on the two gas network codes adopted in the EU thus far: Congestion Management Procedures and Capacity Allocation Mechanisms. The target audience was the Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from the Contracting Parties, while Regulators and Ministries were also invited to participate…
Macedonia
FYR Macedonia: Revitalization of hydroelectric power system nears completion – (Balkans) By introducing the new technology in the revitalization of seven hydro-power stations in (FYR) Macedonia, costs during production will be cut down and environment-friendly energy will be obtained, said Deputy PM for economic affairs Vladimir Pesevski…
Montenegro
Planned Balkan coal plants may breach EU pollution limits – (Euractiv) Commitments made under the Energy Community treaty in October 2013 by Moldova, Ukraine and assorted Western Balkan nations oblige them to comply with Chapter III of the EU’s Industrial Emissions Directive by 1 January 2018. But at least five new lignite power plants – in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro – could violate the directive before this date, according to analysis by the Frank Bold legal consultancy…
Romania
Romanian energy producer wants to sell at least EUR 43 mln worth of energy on local power exchange – (Romania-Insider) Romanian energy company Complexul Energetic Oltenia wants to raise EUR 43.3 million to EUR 65 million by selling energy on the local power exchange OPCOM on April 24…
Romanian town battles shale-gas fracking – (ECHO) US energy major Chevron, shielded by barbed wire, under police protection and under fire from egg throwers, is in trouble in Romania with villagers angry at its drive to drill for shale gas…
Romania can cope with Russia gas supply threat -energy minister – (Reuters) Romania is ready to handle any potential threat to its energy supplies that may result from the current standoff between Russia and Ukraine over Moscow's annexation of Crimea, Romania's energy minister told reporters on Tuesday…
Hidroelectrica sells EUR 35 mln worth of energy on Romania power exchange – (Romania-Insider) Romanian state-owned energy producer Hidroelectrica sold 919,800 MWh of electricity on the local power exchange OPCOM during a bid organized on April 8, for a total of RON 153 million (EUR 35 million)…
Romanian Government plans to sell 51% of state electricity holding Electrica by IPO – (Romania-Insider) The majority stake of 51 percent in state-owned electricity company Electrica SA will be sold via an initial public offering (IPO) on the Bucharest Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange, according to a Government decision project that was published on Thursday (April 10)…
World Wind Power Poised to Bounce Back after Slowing in 2013 – (Grist) At the end of 2013, the wind farms installed in more than 85 countries had a combined generating capacity of 318,000 megawatts, which would be enough to meet the residential electricity needs of the European Union’s 506 million people…
Romania called for SOCAR to expand the operations beyond the limits of filling stations network development – (ABC.AZ) According to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), Natig Aliyev, Azerbaijani Minister of Energy, Rovnag Abdullayev, SOCAR President, and Elshad Nasirov, SOCAR Vice-President, took part in the negotiations…
Transelectrica: Renewable energy projects reach a total capacity of 4,582 MW in end-February – (The Diplomat) Projects related to the production of energy from renewable sources reached a total capacity of 4,852 MW in end-February 2014, by 170 MW more compared with end-January, according to data revealed by Transelectrica…
Serbia
Serbian officials claim that the realization of South Stream project continues– (Balkans) After the recent deterioration of relations between Moscow and Brussels in regard to the Ukrainian crisis, the issue of the construction of the gas pipeline South Stream through Serbia has been raised again…
South Stream work in Serbia on course, Gazprom says – (Turkish Weekly) The South Stream gas pipeline project in Serbia will this year enter the active implementation stage, a Gazprom official said…
Russian gas pipeline work in Serbia continues despite EU sanctions threat – (DTT-NET) The Russian gas pipeline, South Stream, will continue to be constructed through Serbia, despite last week threats by the EU to freeze the project amid Moscow’s involvement in Ukraine crisis…
Armenia
Armenia natural gas imports and sales increase – (News.AZ) The volume of Russian natural gas being supplied to Armenia has grown by 7.7 percent, totaling 719.1 million cubic meters, from January to March 2014, as compared to the same period last year…
Gas deliveries to Armenia increase 7.7% – (Aysor) Natural gas deliveries to Armenia from Russia increased by 7.7% in January-March 2014 as compared with the same period of last year and amounted to 719.1 million cubic meters…
Supply of Russian gas to Armenia rises by 7.7 percent in three months – (ARKA) Supply of natural gas from Russia to Armenia in the first quarter this year increased by 7.7 percent from the year before to 719.1 million cubic meters, Armenia’s national gas distribution company, Gazprom Armenia, said today…
Gas consumption falls in Armenia, despite severe winter – (Aysor) Armenia’s population consumed 222 million cubic meters of natural gas in the first three months of 2014. Gas consumption fell by 3.2% as compared with the first quarter of last year, according to ArmRosGazprom Company. It is noteworthy that this winter was colder than last one. The fall in gas consumption is due to the sharp rise in gas prices in July 2013…
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's role in global energy stability mulled in U.S. – (Azernews) The U.S. University of Oklahoma's Tulsa campus has held a public forum dedicated to Azerbaijan's role in global energy stability. The event which heard speeches of First District Congressman Jim Bridenstine and Azerbaijani Ambassador Elin Suleymanov was attended by about 70 people,AzerTag state news agency reported…
Event on Azerbaijan's energy security held in Oklahoma – PHOTOS – (News.AZ) The Tulsa Schusterman Centre of the Oklahoma University has hosted event "Global Energy Security Forum" dedicated to the energy security of Azerbaijan. The event was initiated by Congressman Jim Bridenstine from the State of Oklahoma…
Azerbaijan's ambassador talks about energy security with Oklahoma leaders – (The Oklahoman) Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the United States, was in Oklahoma on Sunday and Monday to talk about global energy security…
Global Energy Security town hall looks at role of Azerbaijan – (Tulsa World) Even with the current tension in Ukraine, the subject of Sunday's public forum at the University of Oklahoma's Tulsa campus — namely, Azerbaijan's role in regional and even global political stability…
Over $ 5 bln investments required for growth of Azerbaijan's energy system capacity – (Trend) Azerbaijan's energy system capacity must exceed 10,000 megawatts in the near future to increase the electricity generated by power stations per capita up to the level of developed countries…
Azerbaijan increases oil, gas production in Q1 2014 – (Oil & Gas) Azerbaijan has extracted 10.56 million tons of oil in the first quarter of 2014, Azernews reported on April 15. This is 255,000 tons more than in the same period in 2013…
Natig Aliyev: Azerbaijan should draw AZN 4 bn to increase energy grid capacity – (ABC.AZ) Azerbaijan will need AZN 4 billion to bring the total energy system up to 10,000 megawatts. Energy Minister Natig Aliyev has stated that the effective use of alternative and renewable energy sources will enable to save about 40% of its energy resources and protect the ecological environment…
Energy security defining body has appeared in Azerbaijan – (ABC.AZ) The Regulation of the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan defines a new format of the energy department. In compliance with the Regulation the Ministry of Energy implements measures, expressing the interests of the state in the field of efficient use of energy resources (reduction of technological losses, cost effectiveness and efficiency of use)…
Azerbaijan to complete creation of new technical committee on alternative energy soon – (Trend) The process of creation of the technical committee on alternative energy sources and energy efficiency in Azerbaijan at the initiative of the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patents, will be completed soon, the state committee told Trend on April 11…
APA: Bulgaria may import gas from Azerbaijan – (Focus) Bulgaria, almost totally dependent on Russian gas supplies, looks over hydrocarbon imports from Azerbaijan, APA reports citing BBC. According to the Minister of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria Dragomir Stoynev, Sofia is closely following the developments in Ukraine
Georgia
Georgia, Armenia to be linked by high-voltage power line– (Trend) Georgia and Armenia will be linked by a 500-kilovolt power transmission line. Georgian and Armenian Energy Ministries' representatives signed an agreement in Tbilisi with regard to construction of a new transmission line, according to a message from the Georgian State Electrosystem (GSE)…
Meeting of Georgian, Russian Diplomats in Prague – (Civil) Georgian PM’s special envoy for relations with Moscow, Zurab Abashidze, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Grigory Karasin, met in Prague on Wednesday for a sixth time since the launch of this format of negotiations in December, 2012…
SOCAR continues gasification of Georgian regions – (Trend) The Georgian Energy Minister, Kakha Kaladze together with representatives of the Azerbaijani company SOCAR Georgia Gas opened a new gas pipeline in Surami and lit symbolic torch in the center of the village…
Moldova
Moldova Hoping For EU Support Regarding Russian Energy – (Radio Free Europe) Moldova’s pro-Western government says it hopes the EU will help the post-Soviet country if it stops receiving Russian natural gas via Ukraine. Moldovan Economy Minister Valeriu Lazar made the remark in a statement to RFE/RL's Moldovan Service on April 11…
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Moldova hoping for EU support regarding Russian energy – (Kyiv Post) Moldova’s pro-Western government says it hopes the EU will help the post-Soviet country if it stops receiving Russian natural gas via Ukraine. Moldovan Economy Minister Valeriu Lazar made the remark in a statement to RFE/RL's Moldovan Service on April 11…
Turkey
TURKEY'S 1ST NUCLEAR PLANT RECEIVES $1.39BN FROM RUSSIA – (Daily Sabah) Turkey received $1.39 billion dollars from Russia for the construction of its first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu in the first quarter of 2014…
Turkey tenders for technical support for 1st Nuclear Plant – (Turkish Press) Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) will tender for technical support services for the handling of its first nuclear power plant's licensing in the province of Mersin on the Mediterranean coast…
Russia gives $1.39 bln for Turkey’s first nuclear plant – (Hurriyet Daily News) Turkey has received $1.39 billion from Russia for the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu for the first quarter of 2014…
Revised EIA filed for Turkish nuclear plant – (WNN) Akkuyu NPP, the Russian-owned project company responsible for Turkey's first nuclear power plant, has submitted a revised version of its environmental impact assessment (EIA) report on the plant…
Nuclear: Turkey tenders tech firms for Akkuyu plant – (Anna Lindh Foundation) The Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (Taek) will hold a tender for technical support services for the handling of its first nuclear power plant's licensing in the province of Mersin on the Mediterranean coast…
UPDATE 3-Ankara says Russia's South Stream pipeline could run to Turkey – (Reuters) Russia's controversial South Stream pipeline, which would transport gas via the Black Sea into Europe towards the end of the decade, received support from Turkey on Wednesday when Ankara said it may let the conduit pass through its territory…
Turkey's atomic energy watchdog launches tender for review of Akkuyu nuclear plant – (Balkans) The Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK) will hold a tender for technical support services for the handling of its first nuclear power plant’s licensing in the province of Mersin on the Mediterranean coast…
TURKEY TAPS INTO SUNLIGHT – (Daily Sabah) The Turkish government is preparing to begin its 1.2 billion euro program to support projects generating 600 megawatts of electricity from sunlight…
Turkey will put a large section of its solar potential to tender next month – (Balkans) As a growing energy market with no shortage of sunlight throughout the year, Turkey will put a section of its solar potential to tender next month, beginning with Elazig and Erzurum provinces in Eastern Anatolia…
TURKEY TO HOST D-8'S FIRST ENERGY MEETING IN TURKEY – (Daily Sabah) The Pakistani Embassy in Turkey's capital Ankara hosted representatives of the Developing Eight (D-8) countries on Thursday. The D-8 are a group of developing countries with large Muslim populations that have formed an economic development alliance. It consists of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey…
Ukraine
EU may provide energy assistance package to Ukraine– (Business Standard) The European Union is considering an assistance package to Ukraine in a bid to reduce Russian influence on the country’s energy sector, Ukraine’s Energy and Coal Minister Yuri Prodan said here Friday…
Secretariat presents draft for a new Gas Law to Ukraine– (Energy Community) Today, Director Janez Kopač presented the Secretariat’s proposal for a new Gas Law that would, if adopted, transpose the Third Energy Package in the gas sector in Ukraine to the Deputy Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, Mr Ulyda Vadym. The deadline to transpose the Third Energy Package into Ukrainian law is 1 January 2015 in accordance with the Energy Community Treaty…
Ukraine makes inroads on energy security as Donetsk teeters (+video) – (The Christian Science Monitor) Ukraine declared an 'anti-terrorist operation' Tuesday against pro-Russian militia in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. Meanwhile in the West, Kiev courted its European neighbors for alternative fuel supplies that would boost its energy security…
RWE reverses gas flow from Poland to Ukraine – (UPI) German energy company RWE said Tuesday it reversed the flow of natural gas from Poland to supply a Ukrainian market under the Kremlin's influence…
Germany's RWE begins gas deliveries to Ukraine – (Euractiv) Unprecedented talks across the European Union Tuesday (15 April) showed it scrambling for solutions, in order to break its dependence on Russian gas, and help supply Ukraine. The EU faces a daunting task in quickly overcoming a mountain of logistical challenges, avoiding breaking binding contracts, and making sure Ukraine pays for gas…
Ukraine looks to Europe for gas as Russia ups pressure – (Reuters) Ukraine said on Friday it would turn to Europe for gas and won a promise of help from Brussels after Russia warned it could cut supplies over Kiev's refusal to pay Moscow's "political, uneconomic price" for supplies…
Ukraine Gets Energy Help Amid Threats From Russia – (TIME) Most of Ukraine's nuclear fuel comes from Russia, but a new deal with Westinghouse Electric Company will change that as the two countries fight over energy costs. The company said it had extended a 2008 contract to provide fuel for Ukraine's reactors…
The Ukraine Crisis: A Game-Changer in the Global Energy Market? – (Payvand) The tension between Russia and the West, and particularly the European Union, over Crimea has once again raised questions over the security of energy supplies and the use of energy as a tool of foreign policy and diplomacy…
Energy Chiefs Push for European Policy Shakeup on Ukraine – (Bloomberg) The crisis in relations with Russia should compel the European Union to transform its energy policy and reduce the region’s dependence on natural gas imports, a trio of industry leaders said…
Ukraine to save energy and extract its own gas – (ITAR-TASS) Ukraine would have to save energy and extract more gas in its territory, Ukrainian parliament-appointed Minister of Economic Development and Trade Pavlo Sheremeta said in an interview with the German newspaper Handelsblatt on 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.