Albania

After Four Decades of Electrification, Albania Gets 110 kV Transmission Line – (Energetika) This is the first investment in the energy system of this area in 40 years. The system will be expanded by constructing two substations in the Ionian coastline towns of Orikum and Himare…

Albania Resumes Construction of Electricity System’s Backbone – (Energetika) After a long period of deadlock the project was resumed in December 2014 and is expected to be fully completed in the autumn of this year. It includes the adaptation of all power production facilities…

Germany issues a loan for Albania to improve energy efficiency – (BalkanEU) Albanian authorities have taken out a loan from Germany in order for Albanians to exploit solar energy. The project, which is called “Energy efficiency”, will function through the banking system and will offer loans for solar panels…

Albania: OSHEE Building New Power Substation in Tirana – (Energetika) Bejtja said that the energy sector has already entered the tide of investment in distribution, transmission, and electricity generation in Albania. According to Bejtja, the reforms undertaken are having an effect...

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Organisational Changes Ahead for Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske – (Energetika) Minister Djokić announced that this year would bring intensified activities on implementing the new energy law, which will lead to certain organisational changes in ERS…

Construction of Bosnia's HPP Bocac 2 to Begin by End-July – (IENE) Bosnian power producer Hidroelektrane na Vrbasu (HEV)and local company Integral Inzinjering have signed a contract worth some 17 million marka ($9.5 million/8.7 million euro) for the construction of the 8.76 MW Bocac 2 hydro power plant (HPP) in the Serb Republic's municipality of Mrkonjic Grad, with works scheduled to begin by the end of July, the municipality's administration said…

In 2014, 105,639 GWh of Renewable Energy Was Produced in Federation BiH – (Energetika) In 2014, the status of the RES producer was acquired by 14 solar plants with a total installed capacity of 1,215.3 kW and three hydropower plants with a total installed power of 1,485 kW…

Energy Regulator in Federation BiH Adopts New Rules on Renewable Energy Purchase – (Energetika) With this decision, members of FERK submitted for public consultation the draft Rules on amendments to the Rules on the obligatory share and uptake of electricity produced from renewable energy sources…

Bulgaria

Bulgaria Bulgarian Energy Watchdog to Announce New Electricity Price on 31 July – (Energetika) According to Novinite reporting, Ivanov explained that in order for the new prices to be calculated, parliament will need to adopt amendments to the Energy Act…

Bulgaria's PM Lashes Out at Business Unions over Power Price Demands – (Novinite) Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has criticized employers' organizations over their demand that a hike of electricity prices for industrial consumers be postponed…

Bulgaria Energy Watchdog to Rule on New Electricity Prices on Friday (ROUNDUP) – (IENE) Bulgaria’s Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) will officially rule on the electricity prices for the next regulatory period, which starts as of August 1, at a sitting on Friday, July 31…

Bulgarian and Slovakian Ministers Supporting Eastring as Another Regional Gas Pipeline – (Energetika) According to Hudák, the Eastring project not only adds to diversification, but also creates an opportunity for Bulgaria to profit from transit fees for gas transmission…

Bulgarian Regulator: Further Postponement of Power Prices Increase Impossible – (Energetika) Ivanov commented the demands of trade unions and employers’ associations for a new postponement. These could not be met as the law does not allow for that step, Ivanov stressed, adding that the new electricity...

Croatia

Croatia Reports Record Power Consumption – (Energetika) "On 21 July, consumption increased to 58,566 MWh, exceeding the record summer consumption recorded on 16 July 2010, which amounted to 56,818 MWh," HEP said…

Croatia Commissions EUR 15 Million Funtana Transformer Station – (Energetika) ʺThe new 110/20 kV Funtana transformer station will contribute to the stable distribution of electricity to consumers in the city of Poreč and the municipalities of Vrsar, Funtana and Sveti Lovreč. In this tour...

Golob: Regulation Prevents Further Development of Croatian Power Market – (Energetika) ʺTherefore, although the market is open, the basic precondition for the right functioning of liberal markets - a free choice of supplier – has not been met,ʺ Golob stressed, adding that to make this free choice...

Kosovo

KESCO: Power Plant Failures Cause New Energy Crisis in Kosovo – (Energetika) “Although not KESCO's obligation, we are importing energy which is available in the market at seven times the usual price (EUR 130 per megawatt) to more easily overcome the situation caused by unplanned failure...

Kosovo is going through a difficult situation of power supply – (Turkish Weekly) At the present, Kosovo is going through a very difficult energy situation, due to the unplanned suspensions of production by Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK)…

Stabilisation of Power Supply in Kosovo – (Energetika) KEK also stressed that units at the Kosova B TPP are older than 35 years, while units at the Kosovo A TPP are older than 40 years. ʺFor this reason, the operation processes of the units in question are very common...

Macedonia

EBRD Will Provide EUR 40 Million Loan to Macedonian TSO MEPSO – (Energetika) According to EBRD, the project entails the construction of electricity transmission infrastructure from Bitola to the Albanian border, with a substation at Ohrid, and the introduction of smart grid components…

Montenegro

Montenegro Construction of Serbia-Montenegro Power Interconnection to Start in 2018 – (Energetika) Serbia and Montenegro will start carrying out the activities necessary to begin the construction already this year, and they should be completed by 2017, the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy said… 

Romania

Romanian Energy Minister: Coal Ensures Romania's Energy Security – (Energetika) Gerea said this during a discussion on the privatisation of Oltenia Energy Holding. According to the minister, one cannot currently talk about the privatisation of Oltenia Energy Holding’s majority share package...

Enel Starts Modernisation Works on North Substation in Bucharest – (Energetika) Following the modernisation and consolidation works, which will require an estimated investment of RON 54 million (EUR 12 million), the approximately 100,000 customers connected to the station will benefit from...

EC starts infringement against Romania on micro hydropower plants in protected areas – (Romania-Insider) The European Commission has started a new infringement procedure against Romania because of  some micro hydropower plant projects in protected areas, on the Dejani-Lupsa and Vistisoara rivers in Fagaras Mountains, according to WWF Romania…

Serbia

Serbia: NIS and Gazprom to Start Constructing Gas-Fired TPP in First Half of 2016 – (Energetika) According to Kravchenko, EUR 140 million has been allocated for the initial stage of the construction. Gazprom Energoholding will cover the greatest portion of the investment…

Armenia

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund Announces $58 million Investment in Armenia – (Asbarez) The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund, a non-governmental organization whose mission is to facilitate investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy in Armenia, has announced today the launch of a $58 million investment project designed to help advance Armenia’s renewable energy sector…

Energy minister of Armenia: Back wages of Nairit Plant workers will be repaid in full within 2 days – (Panorama) Back wages of all workers of Yerevan-based Nairit chemical plant will be repaid in full within one or two days, Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan said at the government session today…

$58mln renewable energy project launched in Armenia – (PanARMENIAN) PanARMENIAN.Net - Tamara Babayan, the director of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund, has announced Friday, July 24, the launch of a $58 million worth investment project designed to help advance Armenia’s renewable energy sector, Arka reports…

Armenia launches USD-58m renewables programme – report – (SeeNews) Armenia has initiated a USD-58-million (EUR 52.5m) renewable energy programme that will involve the installation of over 70 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects by 2020, local news agency Arka reports…

Protests against rising electricity tariffs continue in Armenia – (News.Az) Protesters rallying against rising electricity prices will march on Thursday to the presidential palace on Bagramyan Avenue in central Yerevan.  Protesters rallying against rising electricity prices will march on Thursday to the presidential palace on Bagramyan Avenue in central Yerevan…

Rise, Armenia: Electricity price hike protesters set to keep campaign alive with fresh action – (Armenia Now) Beginning today the “Rise Armenia” civil initiative starts a five-day action of blocking some of Yerevan’s streets in order to force the authorities to cancel the decision to raise electricity prices by 16 percent from August 1…

Armenians Resume Protest One Week Before Electricity Rate Hike – (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Dozens of people protesting against rising electricity tariffs have gathered on a central square of the Armenian capital, Yerevan.  Police on July 27 responded by setting up barricades to prevent protesters from occupying a grassy area in the center of the city's main square…

Azerbaijan

MP: EU highly appreciates Azerbaijan’s role in Europe’s energy security – (Trend) The European Council President Donald Tusk’s visit to Baku shows that Azerbaijan is holding an important place in the EU’s foreign policy both in the multilateral and bilateral formats, Musa Gasimli, the Azerbaijani parliament member, told Trend…

Alternative energy provides a little bit more than 0.04% of power generation in Azerbaijan – (ABC.AZ) Alternative energy still remains insignificant for the energy balance in Azerbaijan and provides only 0.0445% of power generation in the country.  According to the Azerbaijan’s State Committee, in Jan-Jun alternative energy provided generation of 5.2 million kW-hr, that is 0.0445% of gross generation (11.685 bn kW-hr) and 0.046% of commercial generation (11.144 bn kW-hr)…

It's All About Gas: EU Finds Potential Energy Supplier to Replace Russia? – (Sputnik News) The US and EU are taking great pains to find a substitute for Russia's gas, Scottish researcher and writer Steven MacMillan notes, adding that Azerbaijan and Norway may potentially play a pivotal role…

Azerbaijan’s hydropower industry grows by 20% but 4.6% of power generation has no commercial importance – (ABC.AZ) The State Statistics Committee reports that 4.6% of power generation in Azerbaijan was of no commercial significance in Jan-Jun 2015 against 5.13% in 2014.  The Committee informs that total power generation reached 11.684 bn kWh over Jan-Jun that exceeded the generation level for the 2014 same term by 2.5%...

Azerbaijan makes progress on Euro 5 standards – (Azernews) Azerbaijan is preparing to start production of high-quality gasoline that meets Euro 5 environmental standards in the near future.  The state energy giant SOCAR will carry out the production of Ai-92 and Ai-95 gasoline in accordance with Euro 5 standards starting in 2018, said Nail Amirov, a general engineer at the Baku Oil Refinery…

Azerbaijan might have key role in diversification of resources for EU - Hungarian ex-official – (Trend) The EU is concerned about energy security, and Azerbaijan might have a key role in the diversification of the resources and the routes, Levente Kozma, the former Hungarian senior foreign policy adviser (2003-2010), told Trend July 29… 

Georgia

Ministry of Energy Denies Halt in Natural Gas Supply – (Georgia Today) The Ministry of Energy in Georgia have denied that natural gas supplies for Georgia will come to a stop in August. The information was being spread by media source Rusavi2 on July 27th…

EU and EBRD supporting energy efficient industries in Georgia – (EU Neighbourhood Info Center) An EBRD credit line for energy efficiency is helping reduce carbon footprint in the Caucasus, supported by the European Union’s Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF).  Cement producer Georgian Building Group (GBG) – a leading player in the construction business – has benefited from the EBRD’s sustainable energy financing facility Energocredit, a credit line worth US$ 125 million supported by the EU NIF and Austria…

Regulator Sets Tariff: Discontented Companies Plan Power Cuts in Autumn – (Georgia Today) Earlier this year, the largest Georgian energy distributor companies asked the Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission (the Regulator) to increase the tariff for which they sell generated electricity to distributor companies…

Georgians may see increased electricity tariff – (Azernews) Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze has said that the Georgian National Commission on Energy is ready to raise the electricity tariff in Tbilisi by more than 22 percent starting August 1, Sputnik reported…

Georgian Govt plans GEL 20m subsidy for socially vulnerable households – (News.Az) Government will allocate GEL 20 million annually to subsidize increased electricity tariffs for socially vulnerable families, PM Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday evening…

EurActiv: Russian seizure of Georgian pipeline has dangerous implications – (ACT Media) The Russian border guards stationed by the Kremlin on the perimeters of Georgia’s breakaway, pro-Russian enclave of South Ossetia, have moved the enclave’s border markers further into Georgian territory.  The expanded border gives South Ossetia, which has declared itself an independent state, and its Russian backers, control of a mile-long stretch of the Baku-Supsa pipeline. That is the line that transports oil from Azerbaijan’s capital Baku through Georgia’s Black Sea port of Supsa to Western markets…

U.S.-Russia Disagreements over Oil Through Georgia – (Energy and Capital) In the mid-1990's, the U.S. constructed an oil and gas pipeline through several republics that had been freed of Soviet Russian control, aimed at cutting Russia's continued dominance over the economies of Georgia and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus region…

Putin has started a new clash with the West, this time over the flow of oil through Georgia – (Quartz) Moscow has escalated its brinksmanship with the West, reopening a monumental 1990s clash over an oil pipeline that it fought and lost with the United States.  The new front is Georgia, a Russian neighbor that’s been a theater of US-Russian struggle since the mid-1990s…

Moldova

Moldova to Extend Gas Link with Romania to Chisinau by End-2017 – (Energetika) On Wednesday, the ministry presented the first results of the feasibility study for the construction of the Ungheni-Chisinau pipeline. Representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development…

Moldovan regulator approves new energy tariffs – (Energy Community) The Energy Community Secretariat welcomes the Moldovan Regulatory Authority Board's (ANRE) decision of 18 July to increase the electricity and gas tariffs to end-consumers towards more cost reflective prices and adopting tariffs for access to electricity distribution networks…

Turkey

Oil pipeline attacked in eastern Turkey – (Hurriyet Daily News) The Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline has been attacked in the eastern province of Şırnak, Turkish Energy Taner Yıldız said on July 29, as reported by Anadolu Agency.  In a statement released by the Energy Ministry, Yıldız said the suspected sabotage bombing took place 18 kilometers inside the Cizre district of Şırnak province, next to the border with Iraq…

Attack shuts down Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline carrying Kurdish oil – (Rudaw) The Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, which transports crude from the Kurdistan Region to Turkey, has been shut down due to sabotage, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said Wednesday…

Bomb attack on Iraq-Turkey pipeline halts crude oil supplies – (Platts) Crude exports from northern Iraq to Turkey through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline have been halted after the pipeline was blown up in a sabotage attack in the district of Cizre in Turkey, Turkey's energy ministry said Wednesday…

Turkey Seeks Military Power To Defend Energy Projects – (Stratfor) There has been growing military cooperation between Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan over the past six weeks. From May 31 to June 10, Turkish, Georgian and Azerbaijani military forces held a series of military exercises dubbed "Caucasian Eagle" in eastern Turkey. Several days earlier, on May 25, Baku hosted tactical drills by the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey…

Turkey to privatize 10 hydropower plants – (Hurriyet Daily News) Turkey’s Privatization Administration (ÖİB) has opened tenders for the privatization of a total of 10 hydropower plants, the Official Gazette said on July 29…

Turkey is Well Placed and an Increasingly Significant Hub for Oil and Natural Gas Transit-US – (IENE) Turkey is well placed and an increasingly significant hub for oil and natural gas transit from the Middle East, Central Asia and Russia to Europe and the Atlantic, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has said…

Turkey is well placed and an increasingly significant hub for oil and natural gas transit-US – (Balkans) Turkey is well placed and an increasingly significant hub for oil and natural gas transit from the Middle East, Central Asia and Russia to Europe and the Atlantic, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has said…

Turkey hopeful to be global energy distribution hub – (Daily Times) After years of embargo, the final nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is expected to carry Turkey closer to its target to become global energy distribution hub, said energy experts here on Friday…

Turkey freezes ‘Turkish Stream’ – (Trend) Turkey froze the ‘Turkish Stream’, the Haberturk newspaper reported citing sources in the Turkish government.  Reportedly, the reason for freezing the project is that the parties can’t come to a final agreement.  Earlier a source in the Russian Energy Ministry told reporters that Russia sent a draft intergovernmental agreement to Turkey on the first stretch of the ‘Turkish Stream’, and that there will be a separate document on other stretches…

Russian Energy Minister: Turkish stream construction could be delayed – (Azer Tac) Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said there was a risk construction of an underwater pipeline to Turkey could be delayed if a related intergovernmental agreement was not signed soon, according to Interfax news agency…

Ukraine

U.S., Ukraine discuss energy security – (Ukrweekly) The United States and Ukraine held its fifth annual Energy Security Dialogue chaired by the U.S. Department of State’s Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein and Ukraine’s Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn on July 14, in Washington. The dialogue covered wide-ranging and in-depth discussions regarding Ukraine’s energy sector…

UN to help Ukraine reform energy sector – (Kyiv Post) In the framework of current projects the United Nations will provide Ukrainian officials with consultative assistance on reforming the energy, infrastructure and environmental sectors, the press office of Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Voschevsky said…

Russian Energy Minister: Russia sees no need for trilateral gas talks before September – (Kyiv Post) The ideal time for the European Commission, Russia and Ukraine to hold gas talks would be September, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters…

Russian energy minister: Question about Ukraine at Gazprom board meeting was 'informational' – (Kyiv Post) Gazprom's relations with Ukraine were only brought up at a meeting of the gas giant's board of directors in the form of an "informational" report, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told journalists after the meeting…

Ukrenergo alarmed at unequal distribution of coal stocks among TPPs – (Interfax-Ukraine) National energy company Ukrenergo is alarmed at the unequal distribution of coal stocks in the warehouses of thermal power plants (TPPs) of electricity generating companies…

Two Ukrainian civilians killed, gas pipe damage, blackouts – (Ukraine Today) Two persons have been killed as a result of the shelling of the town of Dzerzhynsk, Ukrainian Interior Ministry's Public Relations Department in Donetsk region said on July 30.  Shells hit some districts in the town, having caused blackouts. Two coal mines were disconnected from the power grid, and more than 200 miners were trapped underground. They have been evacuated already," the report says…

Slovyansk coal power plant back on line to make up for shortage – (Ukrainian Journal) Ukraine’s Slovyansk-based coal-burning power plant resumed operation on Monday to compensate for a major shortfall of power caused by separatist artillery fire.  The unit No. 7, which has enough coal in stocks to run for two days, was put online hours after two major regional power generating plants had to shut down on damages caused by the fire from pro-Russian rebels…

€400m for energy projects in Ukraine – (Energy Live News) Ukraine is receiving €400 million (£284m) for energy projects in medium and large municipalities.  They aim to protect, rehabilitate and avoid deterioration of infrastructures.  The cash is provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which will support between 25 and 40 programmes…

EIB funding Ukraine’s district heating schemes – (Cogeneration) The Ukraine is to benefit from European Investment Bank funding, a major component of which will be designated for district heating aimed at assisting energy security.  The country is receiving €400 million (£284m) for energy projects in medium and large municipalities…

Ukraine plans to boost gas imports from Europe to 40 million cubic meters a day from Aug 1 – (Kyiv Post) Ukraine plans to boost natural gas imports from Europe to 40 million cubic meters (mcm) a day from Aug. 1, from 23-24 mcm a day at present, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said at a press conference in Kyiv on July 27…

Ukraine asks Belarus to study possibility of gas transit from Lithuania – (Kyiv Post) Ukraine has asked Belarus to study the possibility of transiting gas via its territory from Lithuania, Head of the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry's department for European integration Mykhailo Bno-Airiian said on Twitter…

Kyiv asks Minsk to study possibility of gas transit from Lithuania – (Interfax-Ukraine) Ukraine has asked Belarus to study a possibility of transporting gas from Lithuania via Belarus, European integration department head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry Mykhailo Bno-Ayriyan tweeted.

National Commission for Energy approves extra payments worth Hr 92.3 million for 'green' energy – (Kyiv Post) The National Commission for Energy, Housing and Utilities Services Regulation (NCER) has approved additional payments worth a total of Hr 92.3 million (excluding VAT) to compensate a shortfall of funds to producers of electricity drawn from renewable sources for July…

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