Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region.  Click on the links for access to original publications.

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USEA Upcoming Events

May 25-28, 2015: PSS/E Load Flow Training for Ukrenergo – Lviv, Ukraine 

May 29, 2015: Technical Meeting of Ukrainian Power System Support Project (UPSSP) – Lviv, Ukraine 

 June 1-2, 2015: USAID / USEA Southeast Europe Distribution System Operator (DSO) Security of Supply Working Group Meeting – Athens, Greece

 June 22-23: USAID / USEA Black Sea Transmission Planning Project (BSTP) Optimal Power Flow (OPF) Training Workshop – Budapest, Hungary

June 24, 2015: USAID / USEA Black Sea Transmission Planning Project (BSTP) Working Group Meeting – Budapest, Hungary 

June 25, 2015: USAID / USEA Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative (SECI) Transmission System Planning Project Working Group Meeting – Budapest, Hungary 

Albania aligns electricity law with EU rules – (dtt-net) Albanian parliament has amended law on electricity in compliance with European Union’s Third Energy Package…

Secretariat welcomes Albania’s adoption of Third Package compliant electricity law – (Energy Community) The Energy Community Secretariat sincerely welcomes the Albanian Parliament’s adoption of a Third Energy Package compliant electricity law on 30 April. The law consolidates the reforms taken so far in this sector which have been neglected in the past…

Albania awards electricity trading licence to GAEA - Energjia Alternative e Gjelber – (SeeNews) Albania’s energy regulator said it had awarded an electricity trading licence to local company GAEA - Energjia Alternative e Gjelber…

SEE CAO Starts Performing Daily Auctions on Montenegro-Albania Border – (Energetika) The deadline for the nomination of long-term capacity rights can be found HERE.Read Also: SEE CAO Publishes Results of Capacity Auction for MayMontenegro-Albania Border to Become Part of SEE CAO…

TAP gets prolonged validity period of exemption from EU Gas Directive – (SeeNews) The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project company said the regulatory authorities in TAP’s host countries – Greece, Italy and Albania – have released a joint opinion, prolonging the validity period of TAP’s exemption from certain provisions of the EU Gas Directive…

Europe: TAP pipeline secures exemption from Third Energy Package – (Energy World) The Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP), representing the European section of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) which will bring gas from Azerbaijan, has obtained an extension of the validity period of the project’s exemption from third party access to its pipe…

Bulgaria

Securing European electricity markets – (Euractiv) The two driving objectives underlying European integration have historically been economic benefits and security. There is much to be gained on the energy front for precisely these two reasons as well…

Bulgaria: Electricity, heating power price hike inevitable as of July 1 – (Energy World) “Price hike of electricity and heating power as of July 1, is inevitable,” chairman of the Bulgarian Energy Forum Ivan Hinovski said for Radio FOCUS. He added that the hike is reasonable as there are accumulated disproportions in the price of various products in the energy sector…

Bulgaria Energy Utilities Seek Sharp Price Hikes from July – (Novinite) Bulgarian power distributors and heating utilities are seeking double-digit hikes in prices for end consumers from July, Nova TV reported on Thursday…

Requests for Increasing Electricity, Heating Prices Are Unfounded – Bulgaria’s Deputy PM – (Novinite) There is no reason for an increase in electricity prices or heating rates, according to Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev…

Turkey Ambassador Blames Bulgaria for Gas Link Delay – (IENE) Turkey has stood ready for years to build its part of a gas interconnector to Bulgaria, the country's Ambassador to Sofia has said. "We were ready four years ago," H.E. Süleyman Gökçe explained in an interview with private national TV Bulgaria on Air, reminding that Turkey proposed back then the construction of a gas link so that Bulgaria attains energy independence…

Bulgartransgaz to Open Bids for Interconnector Turkey –Bulgaria on May 8 – (Novinite) Bids for the public procurement procedure for the feasibility study for the Interconnector Turkey –Bulgaria (ITB) will be opened on May 8, according to the Public Procurement Agency…

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia's RMU Banovici hopes to sign TPP construction, financing deal in 2015 – (SeeNews) Bosnian state-controlled brown coal mine operator RMU Banovici said on Tuesday it expects to sign this year a deal with a strategic partner for the construction and financing of the 350 MW Banovici thermal power plant (TPP) project…

Bosnia urged to adopt energy laws in compliance with EU rules yet again – (dtt-net) The new ruling coalition in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was called by officials of EU’s energy body to align energy legislation with European bloc’s rules without delay…

Croatia

Brussels Αsks Romania Croatia to Fully Transpose EU Energy Efficiency Directive – (IENE) The European Commission said on Wednesday ithas asked Romania, Croatia and threeother member statesto ensure the full transposition of the Energy Efficiency Directive…

Construction of Croatia's LNG Krk terminal to start in mid-2016 – report – (SeeNews) The construction of the planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the Croatian Adriatic island of Krk will start in the middle of 2016, local media reported on Monday, quoting the director of the project company in charge of the undertaking…

Construction of Krk LNG terminal to start in mid-2016 – (Dalje) Construction of an LNG terminal at Omisalj on the northern Adriatic island of Krk will start in mid-2016 and the terminal will start operating in 2019, LNG Croatia CEO Mladen Antunovic announced in a Croatian Radio interview on Monday morning…

EC launches the infringement procedures against Romania, Croatia, in energy efficiency – (Balkans) The European Commission launches the infringement procedures (reasoned opinion) against Romania, Austria, Croatia, Ireland and Latvia, as these countries failed to ensure the full transposition of the Energy Efficiency Directive…

Croatia: work on Adriatic regasification unit from mid-2016 – (ANSA Med) The construction of a LNG regasification unit on Krk island, in the northern Adriatic off Croatia, is scheduled to begin in mid-2016…

Kosovo

Kosovo plans 36 mln euro power network upgrade tenders – EBRD – (SeeNews) Kosovo plans to launch five procurements, part of a 36 million euro ($39 million) project which will enable KOSTT, the electricity transmission system operator, achieve full compliance with the N-1 electricity transmission grid security criteria, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said…

Macedonia

Russia’s ‘Turkish Stream’ gas pipeline too expensive for Serbia and Macedonia – (dtt-net) Both countries from the Western Balkans have agreed in principle of joining the new Russian gas pipeline project, but governments are facing difficulties on finding the money for its construction through their territories…

Montenegro

Montenegro's EPCG to Start Talks With Skoda Praha on Construction of TPP Unit – (IENE) Montenegrin state-controlled power utility Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) said that the most favourable bid for the construction of a second unit at thermal power plant (TPP) Pljevlja was filed by Skoda Praha…

Montenegro's EPCG to start talks with Skoda Praha on construction of TPP unit – (SeeNews) Montenegrin state-controlled power utility Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) said that the most favourable bid for the construction of a second unit at thermal power plant (TPP) Pljevlja was filed by Skoda Praha…

Turkey eyes energy investments in Montenegro – (dtt-net) Turkish companies are showing growing interest for investments in hydro-power projects in the EU candidate country, according to Podgorica authorities…

Romania

Bulgaria, Romania energy deal aims to connect Balkans, EU – (Energy World) The foreign and energy ministries of Bulgaria and Romania have signed a joint declaration on regional energy cooperation in Craiova, Romania’s sixth largest city. During a joint government meeting on April 24, they agreed to continue to deploy all necessary efforts on the Romania – Bulgaria reverse gas interconnections…

Brussels oks amendments to Romanian green certificate support system – (SeeNews) The European Commission said on Monday it has approved amendments introduced by Romania to its green certificate support system for renewables, first approved by the Commission in July 2011…

EBRD mulls lending 152 mln euro to Romania's CEZ Distributie – (SeeNews) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said on Thursday it is considering providing a senior loan of 675 million lei, equivalent to 152 million euro ($169 million), to Romanian power distributor CEZ Distributie…

EC energy chief calls for more LNG terminals across EU – (dtt-net) The EU’s chief of energy, Maros Sefcovic called today on countries in Central and Eastern Europe to build more liquid gas hubs as the northern part of the European club is doing aimed at enhancing supply security and diminish dependence from Russian gas…

Romania: Gazprom not to renew gas pipeline booking – (Energy World) The booking contract between Gazprom and Transgaz for one of the three pipelines transiting Dobrogea, between Isaccea and Negru Voda, expires at the end of June. Russians do not want to renew it, so Transgaz negotiating with Ukrainians and Bulgarians a new contract for the next several years…

Romania: EC launches infringement in energy efficiency – (Energy World) The European Commission launches the infringement procedures (reasoned opinion) against Romania, Austria, Croatia, Ireland and Latvia, as these countries failed to ensure the full transposition of the Energy Efficiency Directive…

Serbia

Supporting renewable energy in Serbia – (The Lawyer) Serbia is a contracting party to the Energy Community Treaty (ECT), signed in October 2005 between the European Union (EU) and nine South Eastern European countries. Since then, Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia have ceased to be parties upon their accession to the EU and thus are no longer parties to the ECT, while Moldova and Ukraine have become parties to the agreement…

The Energy Charter's Potential Role in Boosting the Development of Serbia's Energy Sector – (Energy Charter) Secretary General Urban Rusnák spoke at the evening debate dedicated to the topic of "Serbia and the EU: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead". The Secretary General underlined the importance of multilateral energy cooperation for boosting Serbia's economic development. The Energy Charter stands ready to provide support to Serbia through access to its expertise and in particular its model agreements for cross-border pipelines and electricity interconnections…

Serbia: We will sign the International Energy Charter in May – (Energy World) Serbia would sign the International Energy Charter at the upcoming Ministerial Conference in the Hague on 20-21 May, confirmed Minister of Energy and Mining Aleksandar Antić…

Armenia

Armenia’s national power distribution company to ask for rise in electricity price- newspaper – (ARKA) An Armenian daily Zhoghovurd (People) says today citing its unnamed sources that Armenia’s Russian-owned national power distribution network Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) is going to ask the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) next week to allow it to raise the retail price of electricity…

Armenian Power Utility Seeks Another Price Hike – (Azatutyun) Armenia’s loss-making power distribution network said on Thursday that will ask public utility regulators next month to raise the prices of its electricity for a third time in less than two years.  The Russian-owned company, Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA), did not disclose the scale of the price hike which it hopes will be approved by the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC)… 

Tariffs in Focus: Electricity prices set to be raised in Armenia – (Armenia Now) The Armenian Electricity Networks (AEN) wants to raise the current tariff for electricity from 42 AMD to 48 AMD (respectively from 8 cents to 10 cents) per kilowatt-hour, and for this purpose the company has applied to the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC)…

Zhoghovurd: Agreement on sale of Electric Networks of Armenia to be initialed soon – (Panorama.AM) An agreement on the sale of the Electric Networks of Armenia company to the Tashir Group company of Russian- Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan will be initialed during the visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Moscow on May 9-10, Zhoghovurd reports. However, the agreement will be officially announced no sooner than mid-summer…

Agreement on sale of Electric Networks of Armenia to be initialed soon – (Aysor) An agreement on the sale of the Electric Networks of Armenia company to the Tashir Group company of Russian- Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan will be initialed during the visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Moscow on May 9-10, Zhoghovurd reports. However, the agreement will be officially announced no sooner than mid-summer…

Armenia to extend sole nuclear plant until 2026 – (Turkish Weekly) The Armenian government announced on Tuesday that it has voted to extend the lifespan of the country’s only nuclear plant until 2026…

Parliament approves Russian deal on extension of Armenian NPP term – (PanArmenian) Armenia’s lawmakers gave their approval to the two agreements with Russia stipulating for prolongation of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant operation term and provision of financial resources in loans and grants, ARKA reports…

Armenian parliament approves agreements with Russia to prolong nuclear power plant operation – (ARKA) Armenia’s lawmakers gave their approval to the two signed agreements with Russia that imply prolongation of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant operation term and provision of financial resources for that in loans and grants…

Armenia's sole nuke plant risky: Turkish minister – (Anadolu Agency) Turkey's energy minister said Wednesday that Metsamor, Armenia's sole nuclear plant, does not meet the directives of the International Atomic Energy Agency.  The Armenian government announced Tuesday that it voted to extend the lifespan of the country’s only nuclear plant until 2026…

Armenian government develops new strategy for energy system – (ARKA) A meeting at the government today chaired by prime minister Hovik Abrahamyan discussed the current status of Armenia's energy system, its perspectives and challenges, the government press office reported…

Armenia to have 70 MW of solar PV in 2025 – (SeeNews) Armenia aims to have 70 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity by 2025, the deputy minister for energy, Areg Galstyan, said in parliament on Wednesday…

Azerbaijan

USAID intends to reformat electricity market of Southern Caucasus – (ABC.AZ) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is going to reformat the electricity market.  The project will involve South Caucasus counterparts Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, and Turkey…

Azerbaijan signs energy declaration with EU – (News.Az) Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey have signed a declaration with the European Union in the energy sphere, a source close to the negotiations told Trend…

President: Azerbaijan changed energy map for the first time – (News.Az) “We have never used our energy resources as means of pressure and always supported transit and consumer countries”  Azerbaijan is the member of both the Council of Europe and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation… 

ADB, Azerbaijan Sign A $1 Billion MOU to Upgrade Power Distribution Network – (Financial) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of Azerbaijan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a $1 billion investment program to rehabilitate and expand the country’s power distribution network…

ADB, Azerbaijan sign $1 billion worth MoU (UPDATE) – (Azernews) The Asian Development Bank and Azerbaijan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding worth $1 billion.  The document was signed as part of the 48th meeting of the ADB Board of Governors, held in Baku on May 5…

Azerbaijan signs $1bn MOU with ADB to refurbish power distribution network – (CTBR) The Government of Azerbaijan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a $1bn investment program to overhaul the country’s electricity distribution network…

In April electricity generation in Azerbaijan started to fall again – (ABC.AZ) OJSC Azerenerji, Azerbaijan’s national energy producer, reduced electricity generation in April.  Azerenerji Press Service with reference to the Company’s Central Dispatching Office reports that in April 1.9 bn kWh of electricity was generated against 2.1 bn kWh in March, 1.9 bn kWh in February and 2.3 bn kWh in January (the best monthly index since 2010)…

Fuel costs for generation of electricity in Azerbaijan increased significantly – (ABC.AZ) Fuel costs for generation of electricity in Azerbaijan increased significantly.  According to Deloitte’s report on audit of Azerenerji OJSC in 2014, last year the national generating operator’s fuel costs increased from AZN 224.314 million up to AZN 358.322 million…

Azerbaijan’s Network Operator started regional consultations within primary program of distribution networks rehabilitation – (ABC.AZ) Azərişıq OJSC (Azerlight), the Network Operator of Azerbaijan, has started regional consultations within the primary program of distribution networks rehabilitation…

S.Gas Corridor to supply Azeri energy for 100 year – (World Bulletin) The $45 billion Southern Gas Corridor project will be able to supply neighboring and European countries with energy for 100 years once completed, said Ilham Aliyev, president of Azerbaijan on Monday…

Georgia

Joint Statement of the U.S.-Georgia Economic, Trade, and Energy Working Group – (U.S. Department of State) The U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission’s Economic, Trade, and Energy Working Group met in Washington, DC, on May 4, 2015. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Kurt Tong, USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Jonathan Katz…

A Joint Statement of U.S. – Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission – (The Messenger Online) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia hosted the Security and Defense Working Group meeting under the U.S. – Georgia Strategic Partnership Commission on April 23, 2015, in Tbilisi…

INOGATE helps to open sustainable energy information centre in Georgia – (Financial) The EU-funded energy programme INOGATE is opening a sustainable energy (SE) information centre in Tbilisi, aimed at increasing public awareness of issues such as the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy, according to EU Neighbourhood Info…

Bank of Georgia Received EUR 40 million from the European Investment Bank – (Financial) The EIB loan will support the implementation of projects important for the development of Georgia’s private sector as well as undertakings in the areas of social and economic infrastructure, climate change mitigation and adaptation. As a result, the operation is expected to contribute to job creation and maintenance…

Moldova

Competition is open for children to enrol in Summer Camp ENERGEL, 4th Edition – (AEE) The EU funded Energy and Biomass Project has launched the competition to select 30 young people from the Southern Region of the Republic of Moldova, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit (ATU) Gagauz Yeri, to participate in the Summer Camp ENERGEL, the Fourth Edition, to take place in June 2015…

Turkey

Does Turkey Prefer A European Or Eurasian Energy Union? – (Oil Price) The sixth meeting of the World Forum on Energy Regulation is scheduled to be held on May 25–28, in Istanbul, and is being organized by the office of the prime minister of the Turkish Republic…

EU urged to open energy chapter in accession talks – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey is a significant player in the energy sector and EU should open the chapter on energy during accession negotiations, head of Foreign Economic Relations Board said Wednesday. "Turkey has developed its energy market by liberalizing it within the last years. Both public and private institutions showed great efforts to this end. However, European Union has not still opened Turkey's energy charter…

Turkish Energy Stock Market to be launched next week – (Hurriyet Daily News) The brand-new Turkish Energy Stock Market (EPİAŞ) will be launched at the 21st International Energy, Environment Fair and Conference, ICCI 2015, to be held in Istanbul next week…

Turkey starts building first nuclear power plant – (Energy Live News) Turkey has officially launched the construction of its first nuclear power plant.  The Russian-designed Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Mersin on the Mediterranean coast is the first of three nuclear plants the country plans to build…

Precious loneliness working against Turkey’s energy interests – (Hurriyet Daily News) Turkey cannot become an energy hub if it continues to pursue contentious relations with its neighbors, according to an energy expert. Turkey needs to have energy-focused policies so that it does not miss opportunities provided by the big changes that are taking place in global energy trends…

Turkey cannot become an energy hub if it continues to pursue contentious relations – (Balkans) Precious loneliness, which has been used by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) to justify Turkey’s contentious relations with some of its neighbors, is working against the country’s energy interests, according to an energy expert…

Turkmen gas should reach Europe through Turkey – (World Bulletin) Turkey fully supports plans to transport Turkmen natural gas to Europe via Turkey, both technically and politically, Turkey's energy minister said Friday…

Turkish Stream to be completed by 2020 – (Daily Sabah) The assistant chairman of the Russian energy company Gazprom, Alexander Medvedev, has announced that the Turkish Stream pipeline, which will carry Russian gas over Turkey to Europe, is scheduled to be completed in 2020…

Turkey’s Growing Energy Ties with Moscow – (Center for American Progress) At a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on December 1, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin made two unexpected announcements that could reshape energy markets and alter Turkey’s relationship with the West…

Ukraine

Ukrainian environmentalists call to abandon use of nuclear plants – (APA) Ukraine is augmenting risks related to the nuclear energy sector by experimenting with running nuclear reactors in the load following regime, Oksana Maiboroda, a representative of the environmental organization Ukraine’s National Environmental Centre, said on Thursday at a board meeting of the Sate Nuclear Regulation Inspection, APA reports quoting TASS…

Ukraine's TPPs, CHPPs get 720,000 tonnes of imported coal in Q1, 2015 – (Interfax-Ukraine) Ukraine's thermal power plants (TPP) and combined heat and power plants (CHPP) in January-March 2015 received 720,300 tonnes of imported coal, a source in the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry has told Interfax-Ukraine…

EU energy chief wants deal on Ukraine gas supply – (World Bulletin) Vice President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, said on Tuesday he aimed to prolong an October 2014 trilateral gas deal between Ukraine, Russia and the European Union before the summer…

UPDATE 1-EU energy boss seeks a deal on new Ukraine gas supply package before summer – (Reuters) European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic aims to conclude talks with Ukraine and Russia by the summer to ensure security of gas supply for next winter and beyond, he said on Tuesday…

EU-Ukraine-Russia talks agree on $4.6 billion to secure gas supplies – (European Commission) After seven rounds of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, a $4.6 billion ‘winter package’ securing gas supplies for Ukraine and the EU was agreed…

Ukraine slashes gas purchases in Europe, doubles imports from Russia – (Ukraine Today) On April 1, Ukraine's Naftogaz and Russia's Gazprom signed a three-month contract on supplying Russian gas to Ukraine at a price of USD 248 per 1,000 cubic meters…

Gazprom In Dire Straits As Profits Plunge 86 Percent – (Oil Price) Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled gas company, suffered an 86 percent dive in net profits during 2014, due primarily to the decline in the value of the ruble, its feud with Ukraine over gas prices and debt from previous gas deliveries, and the continued low price of oil…

Ukraine seeks more than $16 bln from Gazprom in pricing dispute – (Reuters) Ukraine is seeking more than $16 billion from Russia's Gazprom in its appeal to an arbitration court in Stockholm over a long-running gas pricing dispute between Kiev and Moscow, Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk said 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.