Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region

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Albania

Albania on progress towards legalization of energy sector: official – (Global Post) Albanian power losses in October decreased to 34.7 per cent while invoicing raised by 10 per cent, indicating Albania was on the progress towards legalization of energy sector, Albanian Minister of Energy and Industry said on Monday, according to Albanian Telegraphic Agency…

Joint Eurelectric-Energy Community workshop proposes recipe to create an investor friendly area – (Energy Community) A Eurelectric workshop titled “Europe’s 8th energy region: investing to integrate Europe and ensure security of supply”, organised together with the Energy Community Secretariat, took place today in Brussels. The workshop brought together experts from the public and private sectors to discuss how the investment climate in the Energy Community region could be improved…

Albanian Energy Regulator Awards New Power Trading Licences – (Energetika) EFT Albania also received a licence for electricity supply, ERE said on its website.ERE has also awarded electricity trading licences to the companies Komp-energji, SA’GA-MAT and Emikel…

Albania awards electricity trading licences to three local cos – (See News) Albania’s energy regulator said it has awarded electricity trading licences to local companies Komp Energji, Sa Ga-Mat, and Emikel…

Liberalisation and Payment Discipline Can Save the Albanian Power Sector – (Energetika) All this could be solved as the international institutions, like the World Bank, are willing to invest USD 420 million (EUR 334.8 million) in the Albanian power sector by 2020 (MORE). The World Bank has already…

Bulgaria

More households use electricity for heating in Bulgaria – (Balkans) In Bulgaria, the average monthly electricity bill paid by clients of CEZ power distribution company in West Bulgaria was BGN 34 in October, while the average electricity consumption reported for the same month was of 196KWh, the press office of the company announced on Sunday, November 23…

Electricity price among our explicit demands to back Bulgaria govt: Patriotic Front co-chair – (Focus) “Electricity price is among our explicit demands [in exchange for] support for the government,“ said Valeri Simeonov, co-chairperson of the Patriotic Front – NFSB and VMRO coalition, speaking with journalists at parliament, FOCUS News Agency reported…

Thefts Caused CEZ Bulgaria EUR 22.5 Million Worth of Damages – (Energetika) CEZ Bulgaria has just completed the replacement of 37,000 metres of cables at the Orion substation in Sofia, which had been damaged by theft. The investment amounted to BGN 656,000 (EUR 335,098)…

Construction Permit and the Environmental Impact Assessment of NPP Belene Expires – (Energetika) The permit, which was issued in 2008, expires five years after the date of issue if the site has not been completed.If Bulgarian authorities decide to relaunch the project, these documents will have to be…

Bulgaria: Grants for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – (Energetika) The Bulgarian government will focus its attention on:  “Measures to improve energy efficiency and use of renewable energy in municipal and state buildings and local heating systems”. The ministry provide…

Energy efficiency: EC asks Bulgaria to get in line with EU legislation – (The Sofia Globe) The European Commission (EC) has formally requested Bulgaria and Hungary to ensure the full transposition of the bloc’s 2012 Energy Efficiency Directive, the EC said on November 26 2014.  Under the 2012 directive, EU countries must achieve certain energy savings over the period from January 1 2014 till December 31 2020…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Representatives of US Embassy in BiH Visit Elektroprivreda – (Energetika) They discussed the situation in the electric power sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina, preparations for an open electricity market and current topics concerning the operations of EP HZHB…

Bosnia’s Energoinvest signs gas supply deal with Gazprom for 2015 – (DTT-Net) Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) energy company, Energoinvest, has signed a deal with Russian Gazprom, securing gas supplies for the next year…

Croatia 

HEP to Invest EUR 275 million in the Revitalization of HPPs by 2019 – (Energetika) "Croatia, mainly due to hydroelectric power plants, has a significantly higher share of renewables in energy consumption than the EU average. Some hydroelectric plants, especially Velebit, enable the integration…

Croatia's Benkovac added to EVN gas grid – (See News) EVN Croatia said on Friday it has expanded its gas network to the Croatian town of Benkovac…

Kosovo

Macedonia and Kosovo Discuss Joint Energy Projects – (Energetika) “All the countries of the Western Balkans are in the same boat. We will come ashore together or drown in the sea. Close cooperation between regional countries can help boost development,” Ismaili was quoted by…

Energy efficiency monitoring and reporting tool developed for the Energy Community to be exported to the EU – (Energy Community) The European Commission under its Horizon2020 programme has selected for financing the project “multEE”, which aims at disseminating the IT tool for monitoring and verification of energy savings and reporting on meeting the targets set in national energy efficiency action plans developed within the Energy Community Energy Efficiency Working Group…

Kosovo launches construction works of 3 hydropower plants– (DTT-Net) Construction works have been launched this week for three hydropower plants in northern part of Kosovo, with a total of 26 MW production capacity, a joint investment of local and German companies…

Kosovo ERO Returns Paper on Supports for Renewables into Public Discussion – (Energetika) Kosovo held a public discussion about rules for the support scheme. Following the instructions, the Board of ERO has modified and changed the rules for supports for the production of electricity from renewable…

Kosovo north Serbs set up their own electricity distribution company – (DTT-Net) Serbs in northern Kosovo have decided to set up their own company for electricity distribution separately from the Kosovan main one – KEDS - sold last year to a Turkish company…

Macedonia

Macedonia’s power consumption falls 0.6% y/y in Sept – (See News) Macedonia’s electricity consumption decreased by 0.6% on the year to 579,405 megawatt-hours (MWh) in September, data from the country's statistics office indicated on Tuesday…

Macedonia asks European bank to finance gas projects – (DTT-Net) Macedonian government is seeking financial help from the European bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for gasification projects in the EU candidate country…

Montenegro

IAEA on Visit to Montenegro – (Energetika) The primary objective of the visit was to find agreement on how to proceed with the national project MNE6004 "Upgrading the system of quality control in diagnostic radiology for the purposes of national screen…

Montenegro's CGES to Auction Transmission Capacities for 2015 – (Energetika) Find information about the available capacities HERE. The price for the allocated capacity cannot be lower than EUR 0.1 per MWh.CGES added that in 2015 the control area of the Kosovo Transmission System…

Interenergo Keeps Biggest Electricity Trading Share in Montenegro – (Energetika) Interenergo imported 1,380 MWh and exported 35,668 MWh of electricity in October. The biggest importer of electricity was Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), with 17,880 MWh. ERS had the third biggest share…

EU launches study on gas system in Montenegro – (DTT-NET) The European Commission is financing a study aimed at identifying possibilities of a gas system in the EU candidate country of the Western Balkans region…

Romania

Air pollution costs Europe up to $235 billion a year -- roughly the GDP of Connecticut. – (CNN Money) A report by the European Environmental Agency released on Tuesday considers the dangers of air pollution -- including premature deaths, medical costs, lost work days, infrastructure damage and lost profits on agriculture…

The Czech-Slovak-Hungarian-Romanian Day-Ahead Electricity Market Coupling Started – (Energetika) Attaching Romania to the connected markets of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary denotes a step towards the greater objective of a single European day-ahead market. OPCOM said that the market coupling…

Romanian Hidroelectrica to Invest EUR 3.5 Million for IT System Modernisation – (Energetika) By implementing the new system, Hidroelectrica seeks to integrate processes between departments and divisions, real-time collaboration, increase operational efficiency, reduce costs and increase business…

New EBRD Financing for Romania's SMEs Investing in Energy Efficiency – (Energetika) The loan comes under the EBRD’s Romania SME Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (RoSEFF), a key instrument for promoting more efficient use of energy as a means of cutting bills and boosting the competitive…

Revenues of Romania's Electrica Fall due to Loss of Consumers – (Energetika) Total revenue fell 10% to RON 3.558 billion (EUR 804.1 million).The drop in revenue was triggered by the evolution of national electricity consumption, the loss of some customers “which caused liquidity problem…

Romanian Companies Ask for Delay in Gas Market Deregulation for Industrial Consumers – (Oil & Gas) Romania’s energy regulator and several private companies have called on the Department for Energy to postpone by at least one more year the deregulation of the natural gas market for co-generation power plants and industrial consumers…

Additional €15 million for energy efficiency to Romania's SME's – (ACT Media) he European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing €15 million of new financing to Romania’s Banca Transilvania for on-lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) investing in energy efficiency and small-scale renewable-energy projects of up to €1 million…

Serbia

South Stream to secure energy stability in Southeast, Central Europe — Serbia ambassador – (TASS) Gas project South Stream will guarantee energy stability in Southeast and Central Europe, Serbian Ambassador in Moscow Slavenko Terzic told a news conference on Tuesday…

Serbian Minister: Serbian Construction Companies to Build South Stream in Serbia – (Energetika) As Energetika.NET reported earlier, South Stream is designed to cross Serbia, where the works on the pipeline were suspended after the EU had halted construction in Bulgaria (MORE). A few months ago Mihajlović...

Russia's Gazprom to start laying underwater part of South Stream on December 15 – (ITAR-TASS) Russian gas giant Gazprom expects the construction of underwater part of the South Stream pipeline to start on December 15, a month later than scheduled, Vladimir Markov, head of gas giant Gazprom’s general relations department, said in a news conference Monday…

Armenia 

Armenia NPP joins energy production network – (ARMENPRESS) The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant resumed the electric energy production at 22.00 o’clock on November 18 and joined the energy production network…

Armenian nuclear power plant resumes operation – (Aysor) The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant resumed operation at 10:00 pm local time on November 18 and was again connected to the country’s power system, the press service of Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources said…

Armenian nuclear power plant connected to network – (ARKA) Armenia’s nuclear power plant in Metsamor was re-connected November 18 to the national power grid and resumed production of electricity, the press service of the ministry of energy and natural resources said…

Russia to provide $270m loan for major upgrade of Armenian nuclear power plant EBR Staff Writer – (EBR) ussia will provide a loan of $270m for the upgrade of the second unit of a nuclear power plant in Metsamor, Armenia, said Armenian Finance Minister Gagik Khachatryan…

Iran to Build Hydropower Plant in Armenia – (ASbarez) Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian announced that Tehran and Yerevan have finalized an agreement on the construction of a hydroelectric power plant in Armenia.  “The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for building a hydroelectric power plant in Armenia has been finalized and Iranian companies will start construction of the power plant soon,” Chitchian said in Tehran on Monday…

Armenian regulator raises prices for electricity produced from renewable resources – (ARKA) Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) raised the prices for electricity produced from renewable energy resources at its Wednesday’s meeting…

Azerbaijan 

EBRD launches sustainable energy financing facility ‘Energocredit’ in Azerbaijan – (Azer Tac) The EBRD has today launched ‘Energocredit’ to boost the use of energy resources for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), local businesses and households in Azerbaijan. As part of the Caucasus Energy Efficiency Programme, the $125 million credit…

EBRD starts sustainable energy financing facility in Azerbaijan – (Azernews) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced about the launch of ‘Energocredit’ in Azerbaijan, as part of the Caucasus Energy Efficiency Programme (CEEP).  A $ 125 million credit line will be opened for local partner banks to boost the use of energy resources for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), local businesses and households in Azerbaijan, the bank reported…

EBRD: energy efficiency systems can be used in building sector of Azerbaijan – (ABC.AZ) The European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will promote use of energy efficiency systems in the building sector of Azerbaijan.  According to Andreas Karner, EBRD Energocredit Project Manager, the building sector of Azerbaijan has large potential for use of energy efficiency systems…

EBRD launches energocredit mechanism in Azerbaijan – (ABC.AZ) The EBRD has launched in Azerbaijan an energocredit, the mechanism of sustainable energy financing.  In the course of the official Energocredit launch ceremony Baku-based EBRD office’s head Neil McKain has stated that the project aims to boost the use of energy resources for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), local businesses and households in Azerbaijan…

New EU commissioner for energy union to visit Azerbaijan – (Trend) Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Energy Union, Maros Sefcovic will visit Azerbaijan, a message from EU Delegation to Azerbaijan published on social networks said.  He will travel to Kazakhstan on Nov.26-28 and later to Azerbaijan to meet the president and members of the government to have discussions on the Southern Gas Corridor project…

IMF warns Azerbaijan on oil dependence, business climate – (Reuters) Progress has so far been "elusive" for Azerbaijan in its efforts to diversify the economy away from a dependence on oil and gas, and it must press a fight against corruption to improve the business climate, the International Monetary Fund said…

4.1% of Azerbaijan’s power generation is not commercially important, while generation of traded power exceeds total power generation – (ABC.AZ) The State Statistics Committee reports that 4.1% of power generation in Azerbaijan is not of commercial significance. A month ago this index reached 5.2%.  The Committee informs that total power generation reached 18.753 bn kWh for Jan-Oct 2014 that exceeded the generation level for Jan-Oct 2013 by 6.6%...

Georgia

Georgia goes dark after accident at thermal power plant – (Democracy and Freedom Watch) Almost the entire country was without electricity at 02:10 in the middle of the night, as the thermal power plant in Gardabani near the border to Azerbaijan went offline…

Georgia faces power outage – (Azernews) Georgia's capital city Tbilisi and its eastern part remained without power at night on November 24.  The cause behind the power outage was a breakdown in of the country's largest power stations…

Georgian TSO-owned firm to sell Russian energy to Turkish PMUM – source – (ICIS) Karcal Enerji, a company owned by Georgian electricity grid operator GSE, is to import energy from Russia into Turkey via Georgia in December, selling it to the local Turkish day-ahead market PMUM, a source close to the deal told ICIS on Monday…

Power restored after major failure at Georgian power plant – (The Messenger Online) Homes and businesses throughout Georgia have been reconnected with power after a major failure at the country’s main thermal power plant early on November 24…

Georgia: Gas project will strengthen hand – (UPI) A natural gas pipeline from the Caspian Sea to the European market will enhance the geopolitical strength of the region, Georgia's prime minister said.  Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili was on hand for the opening of a transport terminal for the pipeline at the port city of Poti…

Azerbaijan increases gas supplies to Georgia by 14 percent – (Trend) Georgia imported 1.066 million metric tons of natural gas in oil equivalent worth $222.48 million from Azerbaijan in January-October 2014, the Georgian…

Moldova

Moldovan businessmen discover Polish experience on bioenergy development – (AEE) A group of Moldovan entrepreneurs from the bioenergy sector will travel to Poland for a study tour during 24-28 November 2014. As many as 14 businessmen – representatives of biofuel production companies, biomass boiler manufacturing and assembling undertakings, and Energy Efficiency Agency…

Secretariat submits Third Package compliant gas law to Moldova – (Energy Community) The Secretariat submitted today a draft gas law to the Moldovan Ministry of Economy. The draft ensures compliance with the Third Energy Package in the natural gas sector and reflects the key regulatory specificities of the Republic of Moldova…

Moldova prepared for possible disruption of Russian natural gas supply via Ukraine – (TASS) The Moldovan government has prepared for possible disruptions in the natural gas supplies via Ukrainian territory, Moldovan Vice Premier, Economics Minister Adrian Candu told TASS in an interview on Thursday…

Moldova to Submit Repayment Schedule of $400-Mln Gas Debt in Couple Months – (Sputnik) Moldovan Economics Minister Adrian Candu stated that Chisinau will hand over its repayment schedule for the $400-million gas debt to Russian energy giant Gazprom…

Completing Europe: The North-South Corridor – (The Hill) Twenty-five years after Poland's Solidarity and other dissident movements brought about the collapse of the Berlin Wall and promised a reunified Europe, the continent's political map suggests that this vision has been largely fulfilled…

Turkey

Turkey to increase private share in electricity – (World Bulletin) Turkey will privatize five thermic and 49 hydroelectric power plants in the next two years, Turkey’s Privatization Administration Deputy Chairman, Halil Kirsan said Monday in Ankara.  ..

Westinghouse to construct colossal nuke plant in Turkey – (Trib Live) A Westinghouse Electric Co. plan to build a four-reactor nuclear power plant in Turkey continues its pivot to stronger overseas markets for nuclear power…

Renewables future for Turkey costs the same as coal – (PV Magazine) Study shows Turkish government would pay the same for a renewable energy future. inculding hydro, as it will for its stated aim of a coal rush…

TURKEY’S ENERGY FUNDING NEEDS BETTER MODEL  -(Daily Sabah) The main challenge in energy projects is not finding the required funding, but presenting the correct business model to banks to approve investments, according to an official from the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development…

Turkey’s energy minister to negotiate gas discount with Russia ahead of Putin’s Ankara visit – (Daily News) Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız is expected to meet Gazprom Deputy Chairman Alexander Medvedev to discuss a potential revision of gas prices from Russia to Turkey Nov. 25, ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the country on Dec. 1…

Renewables Could Supply Turkey With Energy Independence, Continues Trend – (Clean Technica) The energy independence goals of Turkey could be met by renewable energy, rather than its current coal-centric strategy, according to new analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance…

Turkey, US ink wind power deal  -(Daily News) Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız and U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz signed a memorandum of understanding on improving clean wind energy between Turkey and the U.S. on Nov. 20…

Turkey Looks For Energy In An Abundant Resource: Pistachio Shells – (WFDD) What would you do with thousands of tons of leftover nutshells? It's a question that Turkey — the world's third-biggest producer of pistachios, behind Iran and the United States — has been asking itself for years…

Turkish FM: Armenia left out of energy projects for invading Azerbaijani lands – (News AZ) Istanbul has hosted the U.S. Atlantic Council Energy and Economic Summit. APA, citing Turkish new agencies, reports that U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu also attended the summit…

Westinghouse to construct colossal nuke plant in Turkey – (Trib Live) A Westinghouse Electric Co. plan to build a four-reactor nuclear power plant in Turkey continues its pivot to stronger overseas markets for nuclear power…

Ukraine

Secretariat and the energy reforms coalition discusses Ukraine’s progress in acquis implementation – (Energy Community) In a meeting with experts and civil society organisation representatives from Ukraine, united as the Energy Reforms Coalition, the Energy Community Secretariat discussed how implementation of the EU energy rules provides a solution to the energy security dilemma which embraces Ukraine…

Power consumption in Ukraine falls 4.2% in Jan-Sep 2014 – Ukrenergo – (See News) Power consumption in Ukraine dropped by 4.2% on the year to 100 billion kWh in the first nine months of 2014, state-owned power company Ukrenergo said on Monday…

Ukraine’s energy ministry allows one company to buy electricity from Russia – (TASS) Ukraine’s ministry of energy and coal industry has allowed one electricity provider, Energoset, to buy electricity from Russia, Ukraine’s publication Apostrof said on Tuesday…

Ukraine’s energy minister confirms suspension of coal supplies from Russia – (TASS) Russian companies have suspended coal export to Ukraine, Ukraine’s Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yury Prodan says, adding that he does not know the reasons…

Coalition agreement outlines energy reform – (Kyiv Post) The coalition agreement, signed by five parliamentary parties on Nov. 21, is a 66-page document that was created by designated working groups composed of members of parties that planned to join the coalition…

Ukraine should prioritise energy efficiency – (Euractive) Improving energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption should be the key priority of Ukraine's energy policy…

Ukraine’s energy company DTEK says Russian partners have suspended coal supplies – (TASS) Ukraine’s energy company DTEK (Donbass Fuel-Energy Company) said on Monday coal supplies from Russia have been suspended…

Russia Halts Coal Supplies to Ukraine as Winter Begins, Ukrainian Minister Says – (The Moscow Times) Ukraine's energy minister said Monday that Russia had suspended coal supplies to Ukraine, a blow to domestic energy suppliers who are struggling with a severe lack of raw fuel for power plants due to a separatist conflict in the industrial east…

Ukraine enters winter heating season without sufficient coal stocks – media – (TASS) Ukrainian thermal power industry enters winter heating season without required coal stocks which had dwindled by around 15% at thermal power stations by early November, newspaper ZN.UA said on Saturday citing experts…

Russia Halts Coal Supplies to Ukraine – (Novinite) Ukraine's Minister of Energy Yuriy Prodan announced on Monday that Russia had suspended coal supplies to Ukraine. This is to bring additional harm to the energy policy of the country, which is already experiencing serious problems with the supply of coal due to the conflict in the Donbass region, where most of the coal reserves lie…

Slovakia sends record gas to Ukraine – (Natural Gas Daily) Slovakia sends record gas to Ukraine. By Staff reporter. Posted 21 November 2014 13:38 GMT. Slovakia sent a record 31 MMcm of gas to Ukraine on 18 November…

Ukraine to keep buying gas from Russian, European companies — Naftogaz CEO – (TASS) Ukraine plans to keep buying gas both from Russian state-controlled energy giant Gazprom and European companies, the head of Ukraine’s national oil and gas company Naftogaz, Andrey Kobolev, said Tuesday at an expert meeting on the European Union’s energy security in Brussels…

Ukraine Gas Delay  -(Sputnik) Ukraine, that has not yet started to purchase Russian gas, is acting unreasonably, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told Sputnik News Agency Saturday…

Ukraine's Naftogaz plans to buy 1 bcm of Russian gas by end of year– (Yahoo) Ukraine will buy 1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from Russia by the end of the year and up to that same amount monthly through the winter, Naftogaz Chief Executive Andriy Kobolyev said on Monday…

Fourth vessel with coal from South Africa reaches Ukraine – (TASS) The fourth vessel with South African coal arrived on Tuesday to Ukraine, the press service of the Ukrainian ministry of energy and coal industry said…

Ukraine may soon cancel electricity incentives for ferroalloy plants  - (Ukrainian Journal) Ukraine's National Commission for Energy and Housing and Utilities Services Regulation (NCER) may soon decide on the cancellation of incentives applied in electricity exports and electricity purchases by ferroalloy plants, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan said…

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