Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region

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USAID/USEA ETAG Upcoming Events

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September 20-27, 2014       USAID/USEA Southeast Europe Distribution System Operator (DSO) Security of Supply Study Tour to the U.S. Columbus, OH; Houston, TX; and Washington, DC 

Albania

In Albania people consume more energy than necessary – (Balkans) Albania's Energy Minister, Damian Gjiknuri attended conference on energy policy in the Balkans, with the theme "Energy Efficiency Policies". During his speech he stressed that the government has a concrete program to reduce electricity consumption. Gjiknuri stressed that it is necessary for citizens to be aware of energy consumption…

Albania's OST Auctions Interconnection Capacities for October – (Energetika) Albania’s OST auctions interconnection capacities for October…

Energy efficiency, Gjiknuri: A program to reduce consumption – (Albeu) Energy Minister, Damian Gjiknuri attended today's conference on energy policy in the Balkans, with the theme "Energy Efficiency Policies". During his speech he stressed that the government has a concrete program to reduce electricity consumption. Gjiknuri stressed that it is necessary for citizens to be aware of energy consumption…

Two Turkish Companies Want to Invest in Albanian HPP Skavica – (Energetika) KESH added that the two companies had said they were ready to invest in the project…

Bulgaria

Six proposals on how to solve Bulgaria's energy crisis – (Standart) Bulgaria's energy sector has cumulated a financial deficit of a staggering BGN 3 billion over the last three years. This black hole is expected to further grow by another BGN 900 million by June 2015 next year unless electricity prices start rising gradually from 1 October to at least 50% higher fees compared to the current price. Bulgaria suffers of overproduction of electricity and lack of markets abroad, amid the multibillion-dollar projects to build new producing facilities at Kozloduy and Belene…

Power Rates in Bulgaria to Go Up by up to 10% as of October – (Novinite) Power prices will go up by up to 10% as of October 1, according to a media statement of Bulgaria’s State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR).  Svetla Todorova, who was appointed DKEVR Chair on September 1, explained Wednesday that there would be no increase in heating rates despite the gas price hike request submitted by state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz…

No grounds for heating power price hike in Bulgaria: watchdog – (Focus) “I believe that we will not end up in a situation requiring change of the heating power price in Bulgaria,” Svetla Todorova, the newly-appointed Chairperson of the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC), said speaking with journalists, FOCUS News Agency reporter said…

No double-figure electricity price hike expected in Bulgaria: watchdog – (Focus) “There will not be any double-figure electricity price hike in Bulgaria as of October 1,” Svetla Todorova, the newly-appointed Chairperson of the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC), announced speaking with journalists, FOCUS News Agency reporter said.  Ms Todorova, however, did not say what the exact increase of the price can be…

Bulgaria Exports 1/5 of its Electricity Production – (Novinite) Around 1/5 of the electricity produced in Bulgaria is exported, according to data of the Electricity System Operator (ESO) for the first nine months of 2014.  The rate of electricity exports has increased by 84% from the same period of 2013…

Bulgarian electric power export up 84% y/y – (Standart) The rate of electricity exports has increased by a whopping 84% y/y and around 1/5 of the electricity produced in the country is exported, data of the Electricity System Operator (ESO) for the first nine months of 2014 show…

Bulgaria's Kozloduv electricity produced would be sold at a rate of BGN 39/MWh (about EUR 19) – (Balkans) Westinghouse AP 1000 Unit in Bulgaria to Produce Electricity at BGN 39/MWh Plus The turnkey cost of the project is set at USD 5.3 billion which are to be covered by Kozloduy NPP.  If the planned new nuclear unit at Bulgaria’s Kozloduy NPP is built, the electricity it would produce would be sold at a rate of BGN 39/MWh (about EUR 19) plus an addition which should cover using the U.S…

One Unit of Bulgaria's Nuclear Power Plant in Kozloduy Shut Down – (Energetika) Annual outage of the sixth unit of NPP Kozloduy began On 13 September, when the 1000-MW unit was disconnected from the energy system. In this annual maintenance they will take care of necessary repairs and rec…

World Bank Pledges Support for Bulgaria's Energy Reform – (Novinite) The World Bank is ready to help Bulgaria reform its energy sector, the Regional Development Ministry said  on Thursday.  The Bank will support the government in drafting systemic measures for balancing Bulgaria’s energy system, the ministry said in a statement following a meeting between Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic policy Ekaterina Zaharieva and senior World Bank officials in Sofia…

The World Bank Says It Is Ready to Support Bulgarian Energy Sector Reform – (Publics) The World Bank has expressed readiness to support Bulgaria in reforming its energy sector, the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development (MRD) announced today. The World Bank would help the government forge a complex systematic approach and measures for balancing the country’s energy system and will provide counselling to the Ministry of Economy and Energy (MEE)…

World Bank to Help Reform Bulgarian Energy Sector – (Energetika) According to the Ministry, the World Bank will support the Bulgarian government in developing comprehensive and systematic measures to balance the energy system in the country.  “One of the main objectives of the…

I will insist on the development of nuclear energy in Bulgaria: BSP leader – (Focus) “BSP will push for the rehabilitation of units 5 and 6 of Kozloduy NPP and opportunities to build the 7th unit. We will work to find an investor for Belene NPP. We will insist on the development of nuclear energy in Bulgaria.” That is what Chairman of the National Council of the BSP Mihail Mikov said at a meeting with representatives of Burgas Chamber of Commerce…

Gazprom expects Bulgaria’s permission for South Stream construction after polls – (ITAR TASS) Russia’s Gazprom said on Thursday it expected to receive Bulgaria’s permission for building the South Stream gas pipeline after parliamentary elections in that country on October 5…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia’s gross electricity output fell 14.1% – (Balkans) Bosnia Herzegovina's gross electricity output fell 14.1% to 7,973 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the first half of 2014, SEE News reported citing data of the country's statistics office.  The country’s hydropower plants produced a gross 3,189 GWh through June, down from 4,890 GWh a year earlier. Gross production at the country's thermal power plants rose to 4,783 GWh from 4,387 GWh in the review period, Bosnia's Statistics Agency said in a statement on its website…

Elektroprenos BiH Calls Tender for Optical Cable, Among Others – (Energetika) According to the information available on the company’s website, Elektroprenos BiH will select the offer with the lowest price for the tender documentation.  It also calls for tender for construction works on electricity…

Gazprom to supply Bosnia’s Serb region with direct imports – (Interfax) The Republika Srpska – the Serb entity of Bosnia & Herzegovina – will import its gas directly from Gazprom, bypassing Sarajevo and Bosnia’s state-owned importer BH-Gas, under the terms of a deal reached in Moscow on Tuesday during South Stream talks… 

Bosnia and Herzegovina has New Gas Law – (Energetika) The newly adopted law proposal establishes the jurisdiction of regulatory commissions in the gas sector, energy permits, licences and technical regulations, construction and reconstruction of infrastructure fac…

Croatia  

Croatia, renewable sources still to come – (OBC) Increasing the production of electricity from renewable sources: this is one of the objectives that the EU Member States must achieve by 2020. Croatia has been slowing down its program and might be sanctioned by Brussels…

IFC arranging up to 42.5 mln euro in financing for RP Global WPP in Croatia – (SeeNews) The International Finance Corporation (IFC) said on Wednesday it is arranging up to 42.5 million euro ($55.1 million) in financing for RP Global's 34.2 megawatt (MW) Rudine wind farm project in Croatia…

IFC backs 34MW Croatian wind – (ReCharge) Multilateral agency IFC will help independent power producer (IPP) RP Global to finance the 34.2MW Rudine wind farm near Dubrovnik, Croatia.  The total project cost is estimated at €53m ($68.2m), with IFC providing an €18.9m loan to the local project company, which is majority owned by RP Global, and an additional €23.6m coming from UniCredit Bank Austria via a syndicated loan…

Croatian Fund for Krško NPP had EUR 163 Million at End of 2013 – (Energetika) The average yearly annual return of the Croatian Fund for Krško NPP was 4.96%. Last year's return of the Slovenian Fund for Krško NPP was 3.6%.  The Fund mostly invested in government bonds (72.5%)…

HEP supervisory board appoints Perica Jukic management board chair – (Dalje) The Supervisory Board of the national power company HEP on Friday appointed HEP Management Board member Perica Jukic chairman of the Management Board, the company said.  Acting on a proposal from the government, the HEP Supervisory Board relieved of duty Tomislav Seric, HEP's Management Board chair until now, as well as Management Board members Krunoslava Grgic Boljesic and Ivan Matasic…

Croatia to build new wind farm – (Shanghai Daily) A new wind farm, financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), will be built near the Croatian southern coast city of Dubrovnik, Croatian News Agency reported on Wednesday.  The 34.2-megawatt farm located in coastal town of Slano, 32 km northwest of Dubrovnik, will boost Croatia's supply of wind-generated power 11 percent and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 24 tons of CO2-equivalent each year, according to IFC, a member of the World Bank Group…

Government defines bill on energy-saving improvements – (Dalje) The Croatian government on Thursday endorsed a draft law on energy efficiency with the aim of simplifying the procedure for contracts on improving the energy efficiency of apartment buildings, which envisages that the conclusion of contracts on energy restoration in such buildings would require the approval of a 50% majority of owners rather than of all owners as is now the case…

Kosovo

Kosovar KEDS Intensifies Work on Network Maintenance – (Energetika) “Having in consideration the poor state of the network inherited, the activities spread throughout the territory of Republic of Kosovo are aiming to improve the quality of electric energy, improve and provide…

Electricity transmission system operators of Serbia and Kosovo* sign Inter-TSO Agreement – (Energy Community) The transmission system operators KOSTT of Kosovo* and EMS of Serbia yesterday signed a so-called Inter-TSO Agreement on network and system operation management. The Agreement, negotiated under the auspices of the Secretariat and with the support of the European Commission, brings to an end a controversy between the two operators on their bilateral relations…

KOSTT's Maintenance Works at Pristina 2 Transmitter – (Energetika) During the time of maintenance work many citizens were facing electricity downturns; however, the works in question will affect the increased security and reliability of the operation of the system of Republic…

Kosovar and Serbian TSOs Sign Network Agreement – (Energetika) The Agreement brings to an end a controversy between the two operators on their bilateral relations dating back to the beginning of this century.“Today’s signature is a milestone in the cooperation not only bet…

Macedonia  

First joint ECRB-MEDREG roundtable on energy investments and consumer protection – (Energy Community) The Energy Community Regulatory Board (ECRB) and the Association of Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG) held their first joint roundtable in Athens, Greece, with a strong focus on investment promotion and customer protection, which are key priorities for both regions…

Montenegro

Croatia's HEP in takeover talks for Montenegro's EPCG – media – (SeeNews) Croatian state-owned energy utility HEP is in takeover talks for Montenegrin peer Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG), Croatian news daily Vecernji List reported on Wednesday, quoting unnamed sources close to the management of the Zagreb-based company…

Romania

Antic: Romania stands ready to deliver Serbia electricity, coal – (inSerbia) Romania stands ready to deliver Serbia electric power and coal for the country’s power plants at the best possible price during the upcoming winter if needs arise, Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining Aleksandar Antic told Tanjug on Monday…

Romania, ready to sell Serbia more electricity, coal this winter – (Romania-Insider) Romania is ready to supply electricity and coal for Serbia “for the best possible prices”, in case SErboa will face an energy crisis during winter, said Serbian Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic, quoted by Serbian media…

German Ministry Funds 10-Megawatt Onshore Wind Farm in Romania – (Bloomberg) Germany’s Environment Ministry is spending as much as 3.9 million euros ($5 million) to help finance a wind-power plant in Romania as part of its climate-protection efforts.  Four 2.5-megawatt wind turbines to be built near Tomnatic in northwestern Romania will generate electricity for about 7,000 homes and save about 19,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the ministry said today in an e-mailed statement…

Germany funds EUR 3.9 mln wind park in Romania – (Romania-Insider) Germany’s Ministry of Environment will contribute with up to EUR 3.9 million to the funding of a wind project in Bihor county, Romania. The project includes the construction of four 2.5 MW wind turbines that will generate electricity for some 7,000 households and will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 19,000 tonnes, according to a statement the German Ministry of Environment, cited by local news agency Mediafax…

Romania Sees Huge Increase of Electricity Exports – (Energetika) Electricity production and imports totalled 36.4 billion kWh in the first seven months of 2014, up 7.2% compared to the same period last year. This increase was mainly due to increased electricity production…

Romania's Nuclearelectrica Raises 2014 Net Profit Target by 254.8% - (Energetika) The target for total revenues is up by 4.92% to RON 89.7 million (EUR 20.3 million). According to Nuclearelectrica, this increase is due to the estimated sales of electricity based on the results achieved…

Romania expects to produce more electricity and natural gas than needed – (Balkans) Romania will continue to import crude oil, but electricity and gas exports will exceed crude oil imports, minister delegate for energy, Razvan Nicolescu has said. In his opinion, in 2019, Romania alongside Denmark, will be part of the exclusive group of countries that produce more energy than their domestic needs…

Romania’s Hidroelectrica heads towards EUR 225 mln profit this year – (Romania-Insider) State owned Hidroelectrica, Romania’s largest electricity producer, made a gross profit of EUR 162 million (RON 719 mln) in the first eight months of this year, 12% higher compared to the same period of 2013…

Romania in talks with EU to delay natural gas price liberalization – (ICIS) The Romanian government has entered talks with the European Commission about delaying liberalisation of the countries natural gas market, ICIS has learnt.  On Tuesday the energy department announced plans to postpone for two and a half years the deregulation of prices for household consumers. This would mean the end of regulated domestic prices by 2021, rather than 2018 as originally expected…

Serbia

Serbia: No plans for power cuts – (inSerbia) The Serbian government is doing all it can to stabilise the energy system, but there are no plans for power cuts, Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic said as the Kolubara Mine Basin started draining water from the Tamnava West Field coal mine on Wednesday…

Electricity Production in Serbia’s HPP Djerdap 2 Down 30%, HPP Djerdap 1 Stable – (Energetika) ʺUnprecedented weather disaster has inflicted great damage on hydro power plants Djerdap 1 and Djerdap 2,ʺ EPS said yesterday. In Djerdap 2, generators A9 and A10, which are located in the additional power plant…

Solar park opens in northern Serbia – (B92) The investment is worth EUR 2 million, with EUR 1.4 million secured from an Erste bank loan.  The 2.5-hectare solar park, which has 4,500 solar panels, is one of the largest in Serbia, Antić told reporters on Wednesday after opening the plant…

Solar power plant opened in Beocin – (inSerbia) Serbian Minister of Energy Aleksandar Antic has opened a 1 MW solar power plant in Tancos, Beocin municipality, near Novi Sad. The investment is worth EUR 2 million, with EUR 1.4 million secured from an Erste bank loan. The 2.5-hectare solar park, which has 4,500 solar panels, is one of the largest in Serbia, Antic told reporters on Wednesday after opening the plant…

The Ideas of Danube Energy Initiative and Gas Supply Monitoring Emerge at an Energy Conference in Budapest – (PR Newswire) Today important issues related to providing energy security in Europe were discussed at a conference on Development and Use of Natural Gas in the Danube Region: Prospects and Opportunities hosted by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with support by the Danube Energy Initiative. The esteemed speakers acknowledged the growing need for international cooperation in the Danube region for the greater economic development of the Danube States. A fruitful discussion took place at the conference attended by Aleksandar Antic, Minister of Energy of Serbia…

Mihajlovic: Serbia is in a state of energy crisis – (inSerbia) In an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Blic, Mihajlovic said that Serbia has not been a safe country energy-wise in the sectors of gas, petroleum and electric energy for over a decade now. “Serbia is in a state of energy crisis, but it seems that nobody dares say it,” Mihajlovic stated…

Serbia counting on Romania for electricity and coal if needs arise – (Business Review) Romania stands ready to deliver Serbia electric power and coal for the country’s power plants at the best possible price during the upcoming winter if needs arise, Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining Aleksandar Antic told Tanjug on Monday, quoted by InSerbia…

Gazprom: Serbia will start building South Stream in October – (EurActiv) The construction of the Serbian stretch of the South Stream gas pipeline will start in October, the head of the Gazprom international projects department Alexander Siromyatin is quoted as saying by the Serbian media…

Ukraine Conflict Forces Eastern States to Stockpile Gas – (Bloomberg) Eastern European nations from Poland to Serbia are boosting stockpiles of natural gas after Russia reduced deliveries during the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine and concerns rose about a winter shutoff…

Armenia

Talks to Finalize Voroton Hydropower Sale Continue – (Asbarez) U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern told reporters Thursday that the Armenian government and ContourGlobal, a New York-based international power-generation company, are continuing talks to finalize an agreement that the two parties signed in January, under which ContourGlobal is to purchase and modernize the Vorotan Hydro Cascade, a series of three hydroelectric power plants on the Vorotan River in southern Armenia, for a purchase price of $180 million…

Ameriabank’s lending to Armenia’s alternative energy sector total AMD 17 billion in Jan-June 2014 – (ARKA) Ameriabank’s lending to Armenia’s alternative energy sector totaled AMD 17 billion in the first half of this year, Gagik Sahakyan, the Ameriabank director in charge of relations with corporate clients, told journalists on Wednesday…

Azerbaijan  

Thermal power plants increase electricity generation in Azerbaijan in Jan.-Aug – (Trend) Azerbaijan generated 15.27 billion kw/hours of electricity in January-August 2014, which is 6.3 percent more than in the same period of 2013, according to the…

Power export from Azerbaijan declines again – (ABC.AZ) Azerbaijan’s export of electric power has been reduced again. As a result, for Jan-Aug power export ensured 0.125% of export revenue for the country ($15.351 bn).  The State Customs Committee reports that according to electric meters’ data for Jan-Aug 2014 electric power export from the country totaled 217.144 million kWh against 80.772 million kWh a year before…

Azerbaijan sees decrease in electricity export – (Trend) The capacity of electricity energy generation system of Azerbaijan has increased by 30 percent over the past five years. At present, the figure is 7,105 megawatts…

Investments in oil sector increase up to 30 percent in Azerbaijan – (Trend) The total volume of capital investments in the industrial sector in Azerbaijan.  Investments in production, distribution and supply of electricity, gas and heat in…

Azerbaijani foreign minister meets with Romanian energy minister – (Vestnik Kavkaza) Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met Romanian Energy Minister Razvan Nicolescu and discussed the AGRI energy project, Trend reports.  Azerbaijan praised Romania for cooperation, alternative energy sources and informed him about progress in realization of the TANAP and TAP projects…

Convention Bureau organizes the 13th ERRA Energy Investment and Regulation Conference in Baku – (ABC.AZ) Azerbaijan Convention Bureau is organizing the 13th ERRA (Energy Regulators Regional Association) Energy Investment and Regulation Conference in Baku.  According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Conference will be held on October 27-28 in Baku.  “This year the Conference is to focus on such major issues as energy industry in Azerbaijan, security of energy supply, challenges of renewable penetration, water utility regulation - as a new task for multi-sector utility regulators, and empowering customers in energy markets…

Azerbaijan's underground gas storage volumes exceed $ 3 billion cubic meters – (Trend) Some 1.72 billion cubic meters of gas was pumped into the underground gas storage facilities of Azerbaijan as of Sept.16, 2014, a source at the country's State…

Azerbaijan’s gas extraction reached its record level in August – (ABC.AZ) The State Statistics Committee (SSC) informs that for Jan-Aug Azerbaijan produced 20.163 bn cu m of natural gas that exceeded by 5.4% the index for the 2013 same term. Gas production in August made up 9.399 bn cu m (the best index for 2014), and in July - 1.639 bn cu m.  In Jan-Aug production of marketable gas totaled 12.272 bn cu m that exceeded production for the same period last year by 5.2%...

Azerbaijan's SOCAR Issues Tender For Two Caspian Sea Gas Deposits – (Rigzone) Azerbaijan state energy company SOCAR has issued a tender for the joint exploration of two major gas deposits in the Caspian Sea with total preliminary reserves of about 600 billion cubic metres (bcm), SOCAR's first vice-president said…

Georgia  

Azerbaijan, Georgia satisfied with successful development of ties – (Azernews) Azerbaijan and Georgia have expressed satisfaction with the successful development of bilateral relations between the two countries in various fields, including political, economic and energy.  This was voiced at a one-on-one meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and visiting Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on September 11…

Azerbaijan and Georgia to enhance strategic partnership – (Vestnik Kavkaza) Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Alasania has paid a two-day visit to Azerbaijan Baku. In Baku the head of the Georgian cabinet has met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Azerbaijani counterpart Artur Rasizade…

Georgia to construct two hydropower plants – (Trend) Georgia will construct two hydropower plants on the rivers of Didkhevi and Stori ... The hydroelectric power plant on the Didkhevi River will be built by the Deka…

Moldova

Romania could deliver Russian gas to Moldova – (Business Review) Andrian Candu, the Moldovan economy minister, said on Wednesday that his country could receive Russian gas through Romania, if Ukraine will cut off the supply, according to Itar Tass newswire. As soon as the Iasi-Ungheni pipeline will be put in use, Moscow and Bucharest could reach an agreement to deliver Russian gas through Romania, according to the official…

Moldova to get Russian gas from Romania if Ukraine blocks its transit –minister – (ITAR TASS) Moldova will be able to receive Russian gas from Romania if Ukraine blocks its transit, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Adrian Candu said on Wednesday.  Once the Yassy-Ungeny gas pipeline, being built jointly with Romania, is commissioned, Moscow and Bucharest can make arrangements for the delivery of Russian gas from Romania, he said…

Turkey

Turkey's electricity capacity up over year – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey has increased its electricity capacity by 7,000 megawatts over the past year, the energy minister has announced.  Taner Yildiz told an energy summit in the southern city of Gaziantep on Thursday that Turkey increased installed capacity by 7,000 megawatts between August last year and last month, an increase of 11.5 percent…

Turkey’s electricity capacity up over year – (Caspian Energy) Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said Turkey added 7,000 megawatts to its installed capacity in the 12 months up to August, Caspian Energy News (www.caspianenergy.net) reports with reference to the press-service of Akparti…

Turkey's Akfen Unit Brings Online 20.24 MW of Hydropower Capacity – (IENE) Turkish energy producer Elen Enerji Uretimi, part of local conglomerate Akfen’s hydropower group Akfenhes, has put into operation 20.24 megawatts (MW) of hydropower capacity, Akfen [BIST:AKFEN] said on Monday.  Elen Enerji powered up its 15.2 MW Dogancay HES 1 hydropower plant (HPP) and the 5.04 MW first unit of the Dogancay HES 2 plant, Akfen said in a bourse filing…

"Energy"chapter of the 62nd Turkish Government's new program – (Turkish Weekly) The 62nd Turkish government has recently announced its new program. The "Energy" chapter is described on pages 148-152 of the document in Turkish. Let us read and evaluate what is targeted in the "Energy" chapter of this new program…

Upsolar commissions first solar PV project in Turkey – (PV Magazine) Company partners with local EPC to tap country's growing solar potential.  Upsolar, a leading provider of solar PV modules, has announced the completion of its first major solar electric system in Turkey. Developed in partnership with local EPC Güvenli Enerji, the 51.5 kW ground-mounted PV system in Izmir was part of the Turkish government’s recent call for tenders…

RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENTS ON THE RISE – (Daily Sabah) During the opening ceremony of a renewable energy plant, Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız announced on Friday that Turkey's installed electricity capacity increased 11.4 percent this year. He said the current increase displays aggressive growth. In 2014, the share of wind energy in the total capacity is reportedly 5 percent…

Turkey facing winter gas shortage – (Financial Times) Poor forward planning and political manipulation of energy prices look likely to leave Turkey facing gas shortages this winter, even before the prospect of regional gas cuts due to the on-going hostilities in Ukraine.  Turkey last week experienced an unexplained drop in pressure in its western import line, through which it receives 14bn cubic metres (bcm) of gas from Russia, or about 30 per cent of Turkish demand…

Partners toast 50MW in Turkey – (reNews) Borusan EnBW Enerji has inaugurated the 50.6MW Balabanli wind farm in Turkey.  The facility (pictured) is the second wind project by the 50:50 joint venture between EnBW and Turkish Borusan and features 22 2.3MW turbines…

Ukraine

Electrical power supply resumed in some parts of Luhansk– (Kyiv Post) The situation in Luhansk is calm on Sept. 15, there is no shooting in the streets and, according to locals, electricity supply has resumed in some buildings, the press service for the city council has reported…

Ukraine Faces Electricity Blackouts– (Industrial Info) Ukraine has declared a state of emergency regarding electricity and is being forced to import coal from South Africa in order to keep its coal-fired power plants going. Thermal power accounts for 40% of the country's electricity but fighting against Russian-backed rebels in the Crimea region has cut supplies from the country's coal mines…

Domestic shortages force Ukraine to import Russian coal – (ICIS) Ukrainian coal market participants have been sourcing low-calorific coal from Russia because of domestic shortages, physical coal traders confirmed.  Ukraine is traditionally a major coal supplier to Turkey but has become a coal importer since several major coal mines, supplying the country’s thermal coal power plants, were bombed during its geopolitical conflict with Russia…

Coal shortage in Ukraine by year end is 5 mln tonnes – Hroisman – (Interfax) The coal deficit for the needs of Ukraine by the end of this year will be 5 million tonnes, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Hroisman has said in Kyiv.  "We have a shortage of coal by the end of the current year of an amount of up to 5 million tonnes. The Energy and Coal Industry Ministry is now engaged in contracting, there are preliminary agreements, under which deliveries are being started," he said…

UPDATE 1-Poland resumes gas supplies to Ukraine – (Reuters) Poland resumed natural gas deliveries to Ukraine on Friday after receiving a pledge that Russia's Gazprom would deliver requested supplies to Polish state-run gas importer PGNiG…

Ukraine cuts gas consumption – (Interfax) Ukraine cut its gas consumption by 14.6% – 4.5 bcm – year on year between January and July 2014, to 26 bcm, the Energy and Coal Ministry said.  Consumption fell by 31.3% year on year in July, or 618 MMcm, to 1.4 bcm…

Russia freezes Ukraine into submission: Kiev admits country doesn't have enough fuel for winter – (The Independent) The fields around Grabova and Debaltseve became the focus of international attention as the crash site of Flight MH17. But along the roads leading to the villages are reminders, on the scarred landscape, of another casualty of Ukraine’s civil war which will have a huge impact in the coming months – the coal mines that have been closed down…

Ukraine warns of painful winter due to Russian gas cut– (IBN) Ukraine warned that it will have to adopt deeply unpopular energy savings measures this winter should Russia fail to lift its suspension of natural gas sales to the West-leaning ex-Soviet neighbour…

'Ukraine not accessing transit gas' – Russian energy minister – (Interfax) Russia’s Ministry of Energy has not seen evidence of Ukraine accessing gas intended for transit, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told journalists.  Polish pipeline operator Gaz-System notified Ukrainian state oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy last week of a temporary cessation in gas deliveries because of an unexpected drop in supplies from Russia…

With Gas Cut Off, Ukraine Looks West – (The New York Times) Keeping Ukraine warm keeps Andriy Kobolev up at night.  Mr. Kobolev, the head of Ukraine’s state energy company, Naftogaz, is scrambling to keep gas flowing into his country as winter looms. Russia’s energy giant, Gazprom, had provided a little more than half of Ukraine’s total gas supply, but suspended its shipments in June in the face of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian separatists and the Ukrainian military…

Kiev asks EU to discuss falling gas transits via Ukraine and Slovakia with Russia – (ITAR TASS) Ukraine has asked the European Union to discuss reduced volumes of transit gas transported via the territories of Ukraine and Slovakia at the forthcoming negotiations with Russia.  Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry is seriously concerned with the dwindling gas volumes transported via Ukraine and Slovakia…

Central, East Europe Brace for Energy Shortages as Russian Gas Flows Fall – (The Wall Street Journal) A fall in natural gas flows from Russia to several Central and Eastern European countries this week has sent a chill through the region as it prepares for possible energy shortages this winter.  Austria's energy regulator E-Control and oil and gas company OMV AG OMV.VI +0.66%  both said on Friday that gas shipments from Russia were down 15% from previously ordered volumes…

 

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