USEA Upcoming Events

February 4-5, 2015: USAID/USEA Southeast Europe Distribution System Operator (DSO) Security of Supply Working Group Meeting Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

February 6, 2015: USAID/USEA Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative Transmission System Planning Project (SECI) Working Group Meeting Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

March 2015: USAID/USEA Black Sea Regional Transmission System Planning Project Working Group Meeting Bucharest, Romania

Transmission Line Pristina-Albania to Be Built By Spring 2016 – (Energetika) Albania and Kosovo signed a contract for the construction of the power transmission line in December 2013. The 400 kV line will be funded with the proceeds of the loans from the German development bank KfW…

Albania to change energy price from next year – (Global Post) Albania energy regulatory entity (ERE) published on Friday its decision for the new energy price, Albanian Daily News reported…

Albania starts talks with Azerbaijan on building of gas pipe TAP and internal gas market – (ABC.AZ) The ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan informs that within the framework of the visit (18-20 December) he will conduct negotiations about energy cooperation. The Azerbaijani energy minister will hold talks with Energy & Industry Minister Damian Gjiknuri of Albania. In particular, the sides will discuss the progress of realization of plans on the construction of the Albanian section of gas pipeline TAP and the potential of development of the domestic gas market in Albania…

Azerbaijan to take part in gasification of Albania – (News.Az) During the visit of the Azerbaijani delegation in Tirana, Azerbaijan and Albania signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the development of the master plan for the gasification of Albania…

Albanian Energy Community Presidency to focus on treaty reform and investment – (Energy Community) On 1 January 2015, Albania formally took over the Energy Community one year rotating presidency. At the Kiev Ministerial Council in September 2014, Energy Minister Damian Gjiknuri announced that Albania's presidency priorities will consist of realizing the reforms of the High Level Reflection Group and other stakeholders to improve the functioning of the Energy Community and implementing the Third Energy Package…

Bulgaria

Region strives for energy stability – (SETimes) The news that Russia has abandoned construction of the South Stream pipeline, which would have brought Russian gas to southern Europe, sparked a discussion among the Balkan countries regarding the region's energy security…

European energy model aims regional cooperation to become a regional integration: MEP – (Focus) “Regional cooperation to become a regional flexible integration with regard to partnerships through energy model. That what the whole energy model aims at, which must be created in the context of the EU's partnership with the southern and eastern Mediterranean,” Mariya Gabriel, Vice-President of the EPP Group in charge of the euro-Mediterranean relations and head of the Bulgarian delegation in the EPP explained for Radio FOCUS…

Bulgarian Regulator Sets Threshold Prices for Balancing Energy Market – (Energetika) The threshold price for transactions on the balancing market for upward regulation is set at BGN 202 (EUR 103.3) per MWh, whereas for downward regulation it is set at BGN 0.0 per MWh, SEWRC said last week…

Bulgaria’s Varna TPP closed down – (Focus) Varna thermal power plant stopped operating after being taken out of Bulgaria’s energy system at midnight.  The owner of Varna TPP – CEZ Bulgaria, closed down the plant because it did not meet the European ecological standards. Hundreds of people are left without a job, bTV reported…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

In October, Gross Electricity Production in BiH 1134 GWh – (Energetika) Hydropower plants accounted for 30.4% of the total gross electricity production, and thermal power plants for 69.6%...

EBRD invests in biomass in Bosnia and Herzegovina – (Bioenergy) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is to provide a loan of up to €7 million for the construction of a new biomass boiler plant in Prijedor, a municipality in the north west of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This will be EBRD's first investment in renewable energy in the region…

European bank agrees loan for renewable energy plant in Bosnia – (Dtt-Net) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) agreed today a loan of €7 million for construction of a new biomass boiler plant in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)…

EBRD supports construction of a new Bosnia Herzegovina biomass boiler plant – (Balkans) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the construction of a new biomass boiler plant in Prijedor, a municipality in the north west of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a sovereign loan of up to €7 million… 

Annual Power Output of Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske to Top 5,668.78 GWh – (Energetika) According to Elijah Tamindžija, Director of Development at ERS, the company generated about 5,570 GWh of electricity until Wednesday, 24 December, which is only 800 gigawatts short of the annual plan, Nezavisn...

Power Market in Bosnia and Herzegovina Opens for Households – (Energetika) Energy regulators of both entities – Federation BiH and Republika Srpska – adopted the regulation on the supply of eligible electricity buyers and the process of switching electricity supplier. Thus, they have...

Bosnians to pay more for power in new open market – (Reuters) The regulator in Bosnia's autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation approved on Monday the region's two power utilities raising household electricity prices in January when Bosnia's power market is due to become fully open…

Croatia

Public Discussion on Power Network Use and Switching Supplier in Croatia – (Energetika) According to HERA, the General Terms and Conditions for the use of the network and electricity supply take into account the Electricity Market Act and other secondary legislation regulating the use of the network…

Croatia’s Adriatic offering – (Interfax) The Croatian government has awarded 10 new exploration licences to five companies hoping to tap oil and gas in the Adriatic Sea, but the announcement covers only a third of the blocks on offer, with no supermajors on board for what Zagreb hopes will be a prosperous exploration push…

UPDATE 1-Croatia awards 10 Adriatic oil, gas exploration licences – (Reuters) A consortium of Houston-based Marathon Oil and Austria's OMV won seven of 10 licences awarded on Friday to explore for oil and gas off Croatia's Adriatic coast, part of a bid by the ex-Yugoslav republic to become a regional energy hub…

Croatia’s Rush to Energy Development Worries Tourist Sector – (The Wall Street Journal) Millions of tourists visit this nation’s azure and rugged Adriatic coast every summer but soon they may have to put up with views of drilling rigs as a way of paying the price to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian energy imports…

Kosovo

Kosovo Increases Import of Electricity – (Energetika) Thermal power plants generated 889.6 GWh and hydropower plants 28.8 GWh of electricity in the third quarter of 2014.Kosovo imported 337.1 GWh of electricity in the third quarter of 2014, while in the second quarter…

GAP: Kosovo and Albania must boost energy cooperation – (Turkish Weekly) An analysis conducted by Institute for Advanced Studies (GAP) recommends Kosovo and Albania to intensify cooperation between them in the domain of energy…

Kosovo could face electricity problems during winter – (Dtt-Net) Kosovo is expected to have serious electricity cuts during the winter, amid lack of maintenance and old grid, local observers warned…

Macedonia

In October, Total Power Consumption in Macedonia 677,413 MWh – (Energetika) According to Statistical Office data, the total consumption in the Republic of Macedonia in October 2014 by energy source was: 677,413 MWh of electricity, 7,213 million nm3 of natural gas, 522,040 tonnes of coal…

Macedonia's Operator Starts Construction of Transmission Line to Serbian Border – (Energetika) The 400 kV line will connect the 400/110 kV transformer stations in Macedonia's Štip and Serbia's Vranje. ʺThis transmission line is of great strategic importance because it will introduce a power connection…

Macedonia, Serbia to build new electricity grid connection – (Dtt-Net) Construction of a new electricity grid of 70 km and 400 KV was launched in Macedonia to link the country with neighbouring Serbia…

Montenegro

Montenegro Opens Power Market to Households – (Energetika) Montenegro liberalised its power market for all consumers except households in 2009, while the full market opening has been scheduled for 1 January 2015. According to Montenegro's energy regulator, the reforms…

Montenegro Issues Construction Permit for Možura Wind Park – (Energetika) Montenegro signed an agreement on the lease of land and the construction of the Možura Wind Park with a consortium comprising Fersa Energias Renovables from Spain and Čelebić from Montenegro in 2010. According...

Romania

Romania says reconnects first nuclear power unit to grid – (Reuters) Romania's Nuclearelectrica reconnected its first nuclear reactor to the national grid early on Monday after fixing a technical problem, it said in a statement…

In the middle of winter, Gazprom reduces gas supplies to Romania by 30 percent – (Business Review) Gazprom has reduced it’s supply of natural gas to Romania by 30 percent, Energy Minister Andrei Gerea announced on Monday but he maintained that no problems have been registered so far and the reduction ranges within the contract provisions, writes Agerpres…

Romania's renewables sector starts seeing effects of green certificates deferral – (Balkans) After Romania's government decided last year to alter the incentives for renewable energy producers, in a last ditch effort to rein in prices, the price of green certificates took a nosedive, putting the brakes on a fledgling industry that had thrived during the recession, attracting around EUR 4 billion in direct investments…

Romania has reduced its per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent in the past 20 years – (ACT Media) Romania has reduced its per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent in the past 20 years, and some 4.5 billion euros will flow into the national economy by 2030 through the wind energy sector, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Attila Korodi told the meeting of the high-level segment of the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP20) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Lima…

Romania PM: Russia poses energy threat to region – (Yahoo) Romania's prime minister is calling Russia the biggest threat to stability in the region and says its energy threats are more worrisome than its military ones.  Prime Minister Victor Ponta told journalists that a planned European Energy Union was "the only solution good for all of us" and called offshore exploration in the Black Sea "an absolute priority…

Romania’s Nuclearelectrica to sell less energy to retail, at a higher price – (Romania-Insider) State-owned electricity producer Nuclearelectrica will sell next year 2.25 million MWh on the regulated market, representing 21.4% of scheduled production, down 40% from 3.74 million MWh this year, but at a rising price, according to a decision of Romania’s energy authority ANRE…

Serbia

Serbia is first to adopt the Third Energy Package in the Energy Community: Statement by Deputy Director Buschle – (Energy Community) “With yesterday’s adoption of a new Energy Law in Serbia, an intense year dedicated to the transposition of the Third Package in the Energy Community comes to a close. Serbia deserves praise for this achievement. Evidently the implementation of the Law will constitute the greatest challenge for the imminent future…

Serbia Seeks to Boost Renewable Energy Investment With New Law – (Bloomberg) Serbia seeks to unblock investment in renewable energy after adopting legislation that opens gas and power markets in line with European Union guidelines…

Serbia's Balkan power exchange launch hits new delay – (Reuters) Serbian delays in enacting a new energy law have postponed the start of a Belgrade-based regional spot power exchange to at least the third quarter of 2015, an official of Serbia's grid operator said on Monday…

Serbia: Electricity, Gas Markets To Be Liberalized From January 1 – (inNews) Despite the market liberalisation, small electricity consumers will retain the right to guaranteed supplies from the Serbian electric power company EPS at regulated prices set by the Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia (AERS)…

Minister presents new energy law draft to assembly – (B92) The new law will significantly improve the investment climate in the energy sector, and it will also help create new jobs, which is a priority for the government, the minister of energy and mining said while presenting a draft…                                

Serbian EPS Imports 1m Tonnes of Romanian Coal – (Energetika) Antić explained in the Serbian Assembly that EPS had published a tender for around 3 million tonnes of coal for its power production, of which one million will be imported.Less coal will be imported than previously…

Unit A-3 of Serbia's Nikola Tesla TPP to be Online around 20 January 2015 – (Energetika) At the beginning of December, TENT said that it had delayed the deadline for the synchronisation of the Unit A-3 to 12 January 2015 (MORE) due to delays in the construction of the electro-filter system. Prior…

Serbia Will Have Enough Coal during Winter – (Energetika) Miners in Kolubara are ready for the toughest winter conditions, they work in some of the harshest conditions 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at extremely high and extremely low temperatures, Grčić noted…                                           

AERS: For Now Small Consumers in Serbia Remain on Regulated Market – (Energetika) Blic has recently reported that even though the Serbian electricity market has also become open to households and small consumers, of the 44 active power traders in Serbia, none is preparing an offer for this…

Serbia's Kostolac power plant delays restart of 348 MW unit again – (Reuters) The reconnection to the grid of a 348 megawatt unit at Serbia's Kostolac B coal-fired power plant, which went offline for a planned overhaul on Feb. 28, has been delayed again until Dec. 27, a spokesman at the plant said on Thursday…

Armenia 

Russia, Armenia Sign Deal to Extend Life of Metsamor Nuclear Plant – (Asbarez) Russia and Armenia signed an intergovernmental cooperation agreement for extending the service life of Armenia’s nuclear power plant in Metsamor, Russia’s state-run Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom, announced on Monday…

Russia and Armenia agree to unit 2 life extension – (WNN) Russia and Armenia have signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in extending the operating life of unit 2 of Armenia's sole nuclear power plant…

Vorotan Cascade Hydro Power Plant sale to help Armenia to diversify its energy sector – U.S. Ambassador – (ARKA) Sale of Vorotan Cascade Hydro power Plant CJSC's property will help Armenia to diversify its energy sector, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, who is completing his mission in the country, said Friday at a news conference…

Russia Approves Nuclear Energy Loan To Armenia – (Azatutyun) The Russian government said on Friday that it has formally approved the release of a $270 million loan to Armenia that will be used for extending the life of the nuclear power station at Metsamor…

Armenia’s energy sector owes over AMD 13 billion to banks – (ARKA) Armenia's energy system owes more than AMD 13 billion to banks, Deputy Energy and Natural Resources Minister Iosif Isayan said on Wednesday…

Russia to allocate $270 million to extend period of operation of Armenian Nuclear Power Plant – (Armenpress) The Russian government has geven consent to grant a $270 million dollar loan to the Republic of Armenia to extend the period of operation of Armenia’s nuclear power plant…

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan gets access to EBRD funds for renewable energy – (Trend) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has invested 25 million euros for projects in the Green for Growth Fund (GGF) for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in South-Eastern Europe and the countries of the European Neighborhood (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), according to a report released Dec.19…

Azerbaijan’s Energy Balance for 2015 is under development – (ABC.AZ) The Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Energy has held today a meeting of the Board, which was focused mainly on the country’s Energy Balance for 2015.  According to the Ministry, the Board has approved the working plan for the Ministry’s Administration for 2015…

Khinalig village to be provided with alternative energy – (Azernews) The International Eco-Energy Academy has developed a project to provide Azerbaijani Khinalig village with renewable energy, President of the Academy, Professor Fagan Aliyev said.  Located at the peak of the Caucasus Mountains, 2,350 meters above the sea in Guba region, Khinalig is an area that has preserved its ancient life style to this day…

Azerbaijan sees increase in gas consumption – (Trend) The volume of gas, daily supplied to the population and other consumers of Azerbaijan, amounted to 26.43 million cubic meters as of December 7, 2014, versus...

Azerbaijan’s power generation grew 5.6% in 2014 – (ABC.AZ) In December 2014 Azerbaijan’s national energy producer Azerenerji OJSC increased power generation against November.  Last year power generation index exceeded by 0.9% the figure for 2012 when rise was 6.5%...

Azerbaijan Can Handle Low Oil Prices Say Officials – (Oil Price) “Azerbaijan is not afraid of $60 per barrel,” a headline on the pro-government Azerbaijani news site Trend proclaimed recently. But with Brent crude oil, the benchmark for the oil market, now hovering around $50 a barrel, Baku might well have something to fear…

Georgia

Georgia intends to involve Russia in a major energy project in Black Sea – (Kyiv Post) Georgia can involve Russia and Western countries in establishing a major energy complex in the Black Sea port of Supsa, former president of the Georgian International Oil Corporation (GIOC) Giorgi Chanturia believes…

"Rosneft" doesn’t violate Georgian law – FM – (Trend) Russia’s Rosneft company doesn’t conduct direct financial and other operations in Georgia’s territory, thus, the law on the occupied territories isn’t violated, Georgian Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili told reporters Jan.7…

Georgian FM says Rosneft doesn’t violate laws – (Azernews) Russia’s Rosneft doesn’t conduct direct financial and other operations in Georgia’s territory, thus, the law on the occupied territories isn’t violated…

Inguri hydropower plant: reason for confrontation or topic for Georgian-Abkhazian dialogue? – (Vestnik Kavkaza) At a recent press-conference, the president of Abkhazia, Raul Hadzhimba, said that the Inguri hydro-power plant is on the territory of Abkhazia and should belong to the Abkhaz state.  In the mid-1990s, after the end of the bloody war, Tbilisi and Sukhumi agreed that Abkhazia will get 40% of energy produced by the Inguri plant…

Sakartvelos Banki invests US$45 million in Georgia’s hydroelectric future – (Hydroworld) Sakartvelos Banki (Bank of Georgia) announced it is investing US$45 million in the 30-MW Mestia Chaladidi hydroelectric project on the Mestiachala River, which will use water from the Chaladi Glacier in Mestia, Svaneti, Georgia...

First wind farm to be built in Georgia’s north – (Trend) Georgian Energy Ministry will construct wind farms in Gori (Shida Kartli region, eastern Georgia) jointly with the country’s Energy Development Fund.  The plants will be built as part of the plans for the development of alternative energy sources in Georgia…

SOCAR’s activity in Georgia in 2014 discussed in Tbilisi – (Trend) Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with President of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) Rovnag Abdullayev Dec. 25.  The meeting was devoted to the company’s activity in Georgia in 2014, the Georgian government told Trend…

Moldova

Moldova’s Vestmoldtransgaz gains license to use Iasi-Ungheni pipeline – (Business Review) Moldova’s national gas company Vestmoldtransgaz will take charge of deliveries through the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline, according to an announcement from the local Energy Authority (ANRE), quoted by Mediafax…

Ukraine in talks on electricity imports from Moldova and Belarus – (NRCU) The Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Ministry is holding talks on electricity supply not only with Russia, but also with Moldova and Belarusб Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said at a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, Ukrinform reported…

Turkey

Turkey to become a strategic player in global energy sector – (Daily Sabah) As an energy dependent country Turkey worked on a strategic plan to provide energy supply security in 2014. With the perspective of energy as a reason for establishing peace, it became a strategic player in its region as well as a reliable partner for other countries…

Don't Fear Turkey's Energy Power Play – (The National Interest) In the next decade, Turkey will become a major transit country for natural gas into Europe. In a region where almost every country wants to become an energy hub in order to raise its geostrategic profile, Turkey’s elevated role is causing widespread alarm. Yet such concerns are misplaced: Turkey has little to gain and much to lose by abusing its position as a transit country for gas into Europe…

Turkey’s energy game is only just beginning – (Hurriyet Daily News) Developments over the last few months, particularly Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Ankara, have paved Turkey’s path to becoming a regional energy center. Indeed, this is more like the utilization of the idle capacity that Turkey has. In this sense, the country seems to be starting the year by translating its full potential into actual energy influence, playing the energy game better…

Ukrainian envoy to Ankara: Turkey can be an energy hub without Russia – (Daily Sabah) The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine continues to maintain its severity, mainly in terms of the worsening humanitarian situation. According to U.N. figures from December 26, 2014, the number of those who have been affected by the crisis reportedly reached 5.2 million, including 2 million children…

Romania and Turkish consumers used the cheapest gas in EU – (Balkans) Figures show that Turkish consumers used second cheapest gas in European Union in the first half as the energy minister said the prices will not be hiked.  Turkey used the second-cheapest natural gas in Europe during the first half of 2014, as shown by European data released Jan. 1…

Turkey consumes second-cheapest gas in Europe – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey had the second-cheapest natural gas in Europe during the first half of 2014, according to European data.  The gas price per kilowatt hour in Turkey was €0.033 ($0.039) for households, and €0.024 ($0.029) for industry in the first half of last year, according to data from the European statistics agency Eurostat released on Thursday…

Gas consumption on the rise in Turkey – (Balkans) Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) of Turkey imported 35.67 billion cubic meters of gas from various sources in Jan.-Nov. 2014, compared to 34.29 billion cubic meters in the same period of 2013, a message posted on the website of BOTAS said…

Turkey remains keen on European gas – (UPI) Turkey's embrace of a Russian natural gas pipeline project doesn't mean Ankara has turned its back on the European energy sector, the energy minister said…

Ukraine

World Bank issues loan of $ 378 million to Ukraine for power engineering industry – (ITAR-TASS) Board of Governors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) has issued a loan of $ 378.4 million to Ukraine for development of power engineering in that much-troubled crisis-stricken former Soviet republic…

World Bank extends $508.4m credit for strengthening power infrastructure in Nepal and Ukraine – (EBR) The World Bank has approved two loans amounting to $508.4m for power projects in Nepal and Ukraine.  The first one for $130m is for the Grid Solar and Energy Efficiency Project in Nepal. It has been allowed for a 38 year maturity period, which can be further extended for a six year grace period…

Energy deals keep the lights on for Ukraine's New Year festivities – (Reuters) Ukraine will have stable enough imports of coal and electricity to welcome the New Year with a well-lit festive tree in the home and illuminations on the street, national energy authorities said on Wednesday…

Reuters: Energy deals keep the lights on for Ukraine's New Year festivities – (Kyiv Post) Ukraine will have stable enough imports of coal and electricity to welcome the New Year with a well-lit festive tree in the home and illuminations on the street, national energy authorities said on Dec. 31…

Electricity imports will stop scheduled power cuts in Ukraine – Energy Ministry – (Interfax-Ukraine) Beginning the importation of electricity from Russia and neighboring countries will halt planned power cuts as early as this year, the Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry said in a statement…

Ukraine allows firms to import electricity due to power crisis - PM Yatseniuk – (Daily Mail) Ukraine, mired in a power crisis due to a thermal coal shortage, will allow all companies to import electricity, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said on Friday as he urged consumers to save energy…

Ukraine reaches deal to receive coal supplies during winter – (The Sofia Globe) Coal-short Ukraine has secured 1.3 million tons of coal supplies a month to avoid the power blackouts during the winter period, said Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn during the Dec. 31 news conference…

Ukraine to buy coal from Donbas mines - Ukrainian PM – (Coal Guru) Mr Arseniy Yatseniuk PM of Ukrainian said that Kyiv agrees to buy coal from government-owned mines located within the anti-terrorist operation area in eastern Ukraine only on the condition that they are re-registered on a territory controlled by Kyiv…

Ukrainian power plants need coal produced in Donbas - Ukrainian PM – (Coal Guru) Mr Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Ukrainian Prime Minister, said that grade A and T thermal coal can be purchased only in the areas controlled by militias…

Russia will not impede Kazakh coal supplies to Ukraine — deputy FM – (The Times of Central Asia) Russia has never refused to support the people of Ukraine and has agreed to supply coal and electricity there, and it will not impede coal supplies from Kazakhstan to Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzya told Russia’s TASS news agency on December 31…     

Russian coal-mining Kemerovo region sends first coal to Ukraine – Official – (Coal Guru) Mr Aman Tuleyev, Kemerovo Region Governor, said that the companies of Russia's coal-mining Kuzbas region (Kuznetsk basin) will supply 1 million tonne of coal to Ukraine every month.  Mr Tuleyev said that “We’ve gathered for a working meeting and decided who and how much to load. The first trains have already started…

Russian gas flows to Ukraine stable –Ukrtransgaz – (Reuters) Ukraine is receiving steady supplies of Russian natural gas, Maxim Belyavsky, spokesman for Ukrainian gas transport monopoly Ukrtransgaz, said on Monday…

Russia gas exports to Ukraine decline by 50% in 2014 – (Customs Today) Russian gas exports to Ukraine has dropped by 50% in 2014 and Ukraine only received half the amount of gas from Russia this past year after massive debt halted flows for a 6-month period between June and December. Kiev only bought 14.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) compared to 28.5 bcm in 2013…

Ukraine Risk Spurred Record ICE European Gas Trading in 2014 – (Bloomberg) European natural gas trading rose to a record on the Intercontinental Exchange Inc. last year as the continent faced the threat of supply disruptions from Russia…

Reuters: Two gas producers in Ukraine warn policy changes to hurt – (Kyiv Post) Two British energy companies with operations in Ukraine said their sales and investments in the country would be hurt by the beleaguered nation's policies to address its energy shortfall…

Ukrainian energy minister complains of sabotage inside ministry, says he's fighting with interest groups – (Kyiv Post) Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn has claimed that he is facing resistance from ministry controlled departments, enterprises and their employees, but promised to take action by reshuffling staff…

Wide power outage in rebel-held Ukrainian city – (Myfoxla) News reports say a widespread electricity outage has hit Luhansk, the second-largest city in Ukraine's separatist east, and the leader of the rebels who control it is claiming that's due to Ukrainian sabotage…

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.