Albania

                                                                              

CEZ unit hires law firm to negotiate in dispute with Albania (Reuters) The Albanian unit of the Czech utility CEZ said it would hire U.K.-based law firm Schindlers to negotiate with the Albanian government in a dispute over CEZ's failure to import power last month.

Albania: Wholesale Electricity Trading In Albania: A Basic Primer To Electricity And Gas Wholesale Trading – (Power Engineering) Albania has undergone deep reforms to adapt and open its electricity market to competition and to align the legal framework to the EU legislation…

Bulgaria

Pressure Piles Up on Bulgaria Govt over Renewable Energy Policy – (Novinite) Ambassadors to Sofia of thirteen European states, China and Korea have voiced serious concerns over Bulgaria's government policy on renewable energy…

Bulgaria's Ruling GERB Clashes with Socialists over NPP Referendum Question – (Novinite) Bulgarian center-right ruling party GERB has proposed a concrete wording of the question for the referendum on the Belene nuclear power plant (NPP) project…

Bulgarian RES producers to file claim against energy watchdog before EC – (Focus) Bulgarian producers of energy from renewable sources will file several claims at the European Commission (EC) to complain against the fees set by the Bulgarian State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC), announced Nikola Gazdov, Chairperson of the Bulgarian Photovoltaic Association, speaking for Bulgaria on Air TV…

Energo-Pro Bulgaria to Buy Hydropower Plant Energia Holding – (Novinite) Power distributor Energo-Pro Bulgaria is looking to buy hydropower plant Energia Holding, according to reports of the Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC)…

Bulgarian biomass energy association to challenge watchdog’s decision in Brussels – (Focus) “The installed capacity for energy production from biomass is 6.5 megawatts. This is a market niche, which supposes an investment of EUR 500 million – BGN 600 million,” said Andrey Bachvarov, Chairperson of the Association of biomass energy producers in Bulgaria, in a commentary for Bulgaria on Air TV…

Both Bulgaria’s ruling, opposition to benefit from Belene NPP referendum: expert – (Focus) “Both the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) and the oppositional Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) will benefit from the referendum on the realisation of the Belene NPP project, because both parties will mobilise their voters this way,” said political scientist Ivan Nachev commented for Radio FOCUS…

Croatia

Economy minister visits power plants in south Croatia – (Dalje) First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy Radimir Cacic on Monday visited the Zakucac hydro-electric power plant near the southern Croatian town of Omis…

Croatia to choose partner for Plomin plant in Q1 '13 – (Reuters) Croatia will choose by next April its strategic partner in the construction of a 500-megawatt thermal power plant in the northern Adriatic, Deputy Prime Minister Radimir Cacic said on Wednesday…

Kosovo

Kosovo sells power distributor, protesters clash with police – (Reuters) Kosovo sold its state-run power distributor to a Turkish consortium on Wednesday for 26.3 million euros ($34 million) in an effort to reduce losses and recoup some of the debts owed to the company, estimated in the hundreds of millions of euros…

Energy investments capacities in Kosovo may go without tender – (FOCUS News Agency)  With proven lignite deposits of over 12 billion tons Kosovo is among the richest countries in the world, nevertheless it still suffers severe shortages and instability of power supply. To overwhelm this discrepancy the government of Hashim Thaci seeks to improve the legislative base for boosting the foreign investments in the energy and mineral sectors, Reporter-Kosovo informs exclusively for FOCUS News Agency…

Kosovo to Decommission Biggest Regional Air Polluter – (Turkish Weekly) The Kosovo government pledged to shut down one of the country's two thermal power plants, which is the biggest air polluter in the region and build a new one, but some experts are concerned the country may not meet the 2017 deadline…

Kosovo unions oppose privatisation of main state enterprises – (Setimes) Some Kosovo workers are concerned about the goverment plans to privatise the country's two biggest enterprises -- Post and Telecom (PTK) and the Energy Corporation (KEK)…

Macedonia

German Companies to Invest in Energy – (Macedonia International News Agency) German companies are interested for investments in Macedonia’s energy sector through construction of small hydro-plants…

German companies show interest in FYROM's energy sector – (Balkans)  German companies are interested for investments in FYR Macedonia's energy sector through construction of small hydro-plants…

Macedonia looks for investment in power projects – (Business Standard) The Republic of Macedonia, a fast-growing emerging economy in the southeastern part of Europe, is exploring opportunities to attract investments from India for power projects, and in sectors including real estate, agriculture, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, IT and automotive, according to Zoran Stavreski, vice prime minister and minister of finance…

Montenegro

 

Energy Community meets on security of supply as winter nears (EU Neighborhood Info Center) The newly formed Security of Supply Coordination Group (SSCG) of the Energy Community held its first meetingin Budva, Montenegro, yesterday. The group is made up of representatives of ministries and national regulatory authorities of parties to the Energy Community (including Moldova and Ukraine), which aims to extend the EU internal energy market to South East Europe and beyond, as well as representative bodies of the energy industry, consumers and the donor community…

 

Romania

South Korean group Samsung looks at building two photovoltaic parks in Romania (Balkans) South Korean group Samsung looks at building two photovoltaic parks in Romania, in the Giurgiu County, south of Bucharest, said today Park Robyug, ambassador for energy and resources at the South Korea Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Commerce, during an energy event…

New Brazi Power station opens, can supply up 9% of Romania;s energy Needs ( Romania Insider) Brazi power New Brazi power station opens, can supply up 9% of Romanias energy The new gas fired power station in Brazi, built by oil and...

The largest solar park in Romania spreads on a surface of 10 football pitches – (ActMedia) Solar energy continues to draw investments,in Chirileu – Mures county the works for the largest photovoltaic park are underway to be finalised…

Phono Solar and Electrasol Proiect announce completion of 500kW installation in Romania – (PV-Tech) The Phono Solar 500 KW installation in the Galati region of Romania

Phono Solar, a global renewable energy solutions manufacturer, and Electrasol Proiect, a photovoltaic system manufacturer and developer,  have announced the completion of a 500 KW installation in the Galati region of Romania…

Oettinger (EC): Inauguration of Brazi power plant is a good message to investors – (Act Media) Inauguration of the power plant at Brazi (Prahova county, south of the country) is a good message for investors in Romania, said Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, in a meeting with Prime Minister Victor Ponta, informs a government press release, sent on Tuesday…

Samsung wants to invest in Romania solar plants – (The Economic Times) South Korean group Samsung wants to invest in solar plants in Romania, a top official from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday in Bucharest…

Romania's OMV Petrom starts operations at 860MW power plant. – (Power Engineering) Romanian firm OMV Petrom started on Tuesday, Oct 16, commercial operations at its newly-built 860MW gas-fired power plant, Ziarul Financiar daily reported. The company has invested EUR 530mn in the generation unit, which makes it one of the largest local electricity producers along with Hidroelectrica, Nuclearelectrica and the two mining/generation energy holdings…

Serbia

Serbia's Energy Minister announces adoption of Regional Energy Strategy – (Balkans) Serbia's Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection Zorana Mihajlovic announced that members of the Energy Community of South East Europe, which includes Serbia, will adopt a regional Energy Strategy at the ministerial council meeting in Budva…

Serbia’s 2020 Energy-Mix Target to Set Renewables at 27 Percent – (Bloomberg Business Week) Serbia will have to increase its use of energy from renewable sources by a third through 2020, under a European Union-backed regional agreement…

USA show interest to invest in Serbia's renewable energy sector – (Balkans) Serbia's Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection Zorana Mihajlovic and new United States Ambassador to Belgrade Michael Kirby and his associates met to discuss investment opportunities of American companies in Serbia’s energy and environmental protection sectors…

Serbia’s EPS Seeks Seasonal Power Import From Bosnia’s ERS – (Bloomberg Business Week) Elektroprivreda Srbije, Serbia’s state-run power monopoly, is close to arranging the import of 574 gigawatt-hours from Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske in neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina…

Serbia to improve energy efficiency, build new facilities and open recycling centres – (Balkans) Serbia's Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection Zorana Mihajlovic stated that her Ministry’s main priorities are to improve energy efficiency, build new facilities and open recycling centres…

Armenia

Electric Networks of Armenia introduce new automated system developed by Microsoft – (News.AM) Electric Networks of Armenia CJSC is introducing a new automated system to optimize network’s work.  Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) developed by Microsoft will be used to improve management, company’s press service informs Armenian News-NEWS.am…

Armenian NPP to extend term of operation by 10 years – (Pan Armenian) The governments of Armenia and U.S. have signed a memorandum of understanding related to energy sector. Armenian side was represented by Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan; Ambassador John Heffern signed the document on the U.S. side…

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of USA will discuss issues regarding trade and energy in Armenia – (ArmenPress) The 21st meeting of the U.S.-Armenia Joint Economic Taskforce (USATF) will take place on October 18, 2012 in Yerevan, Armenia As the Embassy of the United States of America informed "Armenpress" the U.S. Department of State, led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Eric Rubin and Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia Dan Rosenblum, will lead the U.S. delegation along with representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

US-Armenia Joint Economic Taskforce meets in Yerevan – (News.AM) The 21st meeting of the US-Armenia Joint Economic Taskforce (USATF) kicked off Thursday in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan…

Armenian and Russian officials silent about gas talks – (News.AM)  Representatives of energy operators and officials present at Armenia-Russia intergovernmental committee meeting in Yerevan declined to comment on the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter’s question regarding gas price…

Small greenhouses to be promoted in the Armenia – (News.AM) The Armenian Harvest Promotion Center (AHPC) has initiated the small greenhouses development process, which aims to enable individual farmers and farmer households to construct and operate high tech, energy saving and high yield film (plastic) greenhouses, the Center’s Marketing Department informed Armenian News-NEWS.am…

Russia will supply gas to Armenia on a privileged cost – (ArmenPress) Russia will supply gas to Armenia on a privileged cost that will be rather cheap. As “Armenpress” reports, this was announced by the minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia Armen Movsisyan at the end of the session of intergovernmental committee, but he refused to tell what exact price he meant…

Azerbaijan

SOCAR applies for sanction to supply electricity from alternative sources for a network of Azerbaijan – (ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) becomes a national provider of electricity from renewable sources. The SOCAR informs that it is expected to supply to the national network the electricity received from turbine expander (plants for electricity generation at the expense of gas pressure in pipelines), installed on Mingechevir gas distribution station. Such plants will be installed on GDSs Garadagh, Digah, Mingechevir, Shirvan of SOCAR sub-company Azeriqaz…

IDB group contributes to renewable energy development in Azerbaijan – (Trend) Azerbaijan is an oil and gas country and electricity producer. The country produces about 50 million tons of oil, 27 billion cubic meters of gas...

Azerbaijan almost did not export power in September –(ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. In September, as well as in August, Azerbaijan, which keeps on remaining a net exporter of electric power for the fourth year running, almost did not carry out electric power export resumed in July…

BP Holds Constructive Talks With Socar on Declining Azeri Field – (Bloomberg) BP Plc (BP/) Chief Executive Officer Bob Dudley agreed to work closely with the State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan at a Caspian Sea oil field where Azeri President Ilham Aliyev blamed the U.K. producer for declining output…

Prices and situation in consumer market in Azerbaijan - (Trend)  The Azerbaijani consumer market is developing rapidly (9-10 percent of ... In Aug., prices on electricity, gas and water increased by 0.3 percent…

Azerbaijan’s power generation drops by 16.7% in September – (ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Azerbaijani national energy producer Azerenerji OJSC reduced power generation in September 2012 by 16.7% versus August…

Statoil Azerbaijan facilitates establishment of a PETRAD alumni network in Azerbaijan – (Trend) PETRAD, a Norwegian non-profit organisation, specialising in petroleum policy and resource management, petroleum development and operations courses launched a first alumni network in Azerbaijan…

Baku running out of patience with BP – (UPI) BP is "warned for the last time" that it must meet its obligations at the giant offshore Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil field, an Azeri lawmaker said…

Georgia

Georgian football star to become energy minister – (Pantagraph) Georgia's most famous football star, who played in Italy for the past dozen years, was nominated Tuesday to become the energy minister in the new government…

Georgia lights up on energy map as it finds role of its own – (The National) Mikheil Saakashvili appeared ebullient as he strolled around Tbilisi last week. Crowds of supporters followed him as he sampled local delicacies in the autumn sunshine. But the Georgian president also looked a decade older than his 44 years, and had put on weight since the 2003 Rose Revolution when he came to power…

Georgian ministerial candidate: Agreement on Inguri hydropower station to be reconsidered – (Trend) The agreement signed with the Russian Inter RAO UES company on the management of the Inguri hydropower station will be reconsidered, the Georgian candidate for energy minister Kakha Kaladze told journalists on Wednesday…

Basescu and Saakashvili talk about AGRI energy project – (Act Media) Romanian President Traian Basescu and his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili talked about the energy projects concerning both states, such as AGRI, during their meeting at Cotroceni Palace on Thursday…

Candidate for Georgian minister: Medium and small hydropower stations are priority – (Trend) The construction of medium and small hydropower stations will be a priority of the Georgian Energy Ministry, Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze told media today…

Moldova

Third energy package-the new Gordian knot – (Bsanna) Moldova will request a postponement of the implementation deadline for the EU's Third Energy Package from 2016 until 2020 at the annual meeting of the European ministers for energy on 18 October…

EU’s energy strategy in the Balkans questioned by MEPs – (The Information Daily) Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and local Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) worry that the European Commission is bypassing civil society and environmental rules in its Western Balkan strategy…

Russia

Russian energy supplies to Belarus discussed – (Belarusian Telegraph Agency)  Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich discussed prospects of supplying energy resources to Belarus with Russian Energy Minister Mr Alexander Novak in Minsk on 19 October, BelTA has learned…

Russia energy landscape faces whirlwind – (FT) Igor Sechin is closing in on a deal that could catapult the chief executive of Russia’s Rosneft into Big Oil’s premier league…

European Shale Gas Threatens Russian Energy Position – (Atlantic Sentinel) If the shale gas revolution reaches Europe, it would pose an immediate threat to Russian energy politics. The country currently supplies some 25 percent of the continent’s gas needs and its share in the imports of former Soviet satellite states in Eastern Europe is much higher…

Russia could lose from Rosneft bid –(FT) Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, believes that state control of the energy sector is crucial to restoring Russia’s superpower status. A successful bid by state-controlled Rosneft to acquire BP’s troublesome Russian joint venture would certainly strengthen his grip. But it could also have damaging consequences for the Russian economy…

No crude oil trading via commodity exchanges in Russia soon: official – (Platts) The energy ministry does not expect crude oil trading via exchange to be launched soon, deputy energy minister Pavel Fedorov said Friday…

U.S. actively helping gas pipeline project to bypass Russia – Clinton –(Interfax)  The United States supports the Southern Corridor project to weaken the monopoly on gas supplies to Europe, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said…

BP plots new future in Russia through Rosneft tie-up – (The Telegraph) BP is plotting a new future in Russia through a major stake in Rosneft - but there are fears over how it can hold sway with the state-controlled giant…

News Summary: Russia sees no monopoly on Rosneft – (Bloomberg Business Week) NOTHING TO SEE: Russia is downplaying concerns that the potential acquisition by its state-run oil company of a stake in a massive energy joint venture would skew global energy prices…

Cheap Russian coal provides top energy – (Viet Nam news) HA NOI (VNS)— Steelmaker Hoa Phat Group in an effort to diversify energy supplies and reignite the slowing steel industry made its first import of anthracite coal (hard coal) from Russia last week…

Russian govt downplays Rosneft expansion concerns – (Associated Press) Russia on Thursday downplayed concerns that Rosneft's possible purchase of BP's stake in the joint venture TNK-BP, which analysts say would reshape the country's oil industry and create the world's biggest oil and gas company, is likely to threaten competition…

Russia hints plans to quit Kyoto Protocol - (AFP) MOSCOW — Russia on Thursday hinted that it may refuse to sign up to a new round of targeted carbon cuts that could see the Kyoto environmental protection treaty extended beyond its end of 2012 expiry date…

Turkey

Turkey: Wholesale Electricity Trading In Turkey: A Basic Primer To Electricity And Gas Wholesale Trading – (Energy and Natural Resources) The developments on Turkey's electricity market have rapidly changed the rules of the game, pushing the sector towards progressive liberalisation, and the market players towards fast adaptation to the new environment…

Turkey Intends to Suspend ‘Take or Pay’ Gas Contracts by 2015 – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey intends to abandon the "take or pay" principle by 2013-2014 within the contract on gas supplies with Azerbaijan, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz was quoted today by Turkish newspaper The Lira as saying…

Explosion Halts Iranian Gas Flow To Turkey, Again – (Radio Free Europe) Turkish media reports say the flow of Iranian natural gas has been halted due to an explosion in eastern Turkey…

Turkish - German partnership to build 50 MW wind farm – (Power Engineering) The Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry Investment Support and Promotion Agency has issued the following press release…

Russian-Turkish Relations Cool Over Energy, Syria – (Atlantic Sentinel) Russia and Turkey support opposite camps in Syria’s civil war but have so far managed to keep the divide from affecting their bilateral relationship at large. That may be about to change…

Siemens Building Wind Power Plant in Turkey – (Clean Technica) Siemens Energy has been contracted to provide another wind power installation in Turkey amounting to 22 wind turbines for the Balabanli onshore wind power plant near the city of Tekirdağ in the European part of the country…

Turkey Intends to Suspend ‘Take or Pay’ Gas Contracts by 2015 – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey intends to abandon the "take or pay" principle by 2013-2014 within the contract on gas supplies with Azerbaijan, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz was quoted today by Turkish newspaper The Lira as saying…

Recent Developments in Turkish Energy Sector – Update – (Turkish Weekly) Nabucco West project has already started cooperation with the Trans Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP), the Managing Director of the Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH, Reinhard Mitschek said in interview with Trend in Baku…

SOCAR Turkey Energy to start gas import from Azerbaijan – (Trend) SOCAR Turkey Energy will start importing 1.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Azerbaijan from Jan.1, 2013, SOCAR Turkey Energy...

UAE eyes Turkish nuke tender – (Wall Street Institute) Turkey’s second nuclear power plant may attract invetsment from the United Arab Emirates on the condition that South Korea is involved in the project, says Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız. Turkey plans to build it in the northern province of Sinop…

Turkey says Syria halts power imports, network damaged – (Reutrers) Syria had stopped electricity imports from Turkey while it repairs its power network and there is no political reason for the interruption of the supplies, which last year met a fifth of Syrian needs, Turkish officials said…

TAQA advances strategic Turkish power project with EUAS – (AME Info) Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) has completed a pre-feasibility study and prepared an investment model for a major power project in the Afsin-Elbistan region of southern Turkey in co-operation with Electricity Generation Co. Inc. (EUAS)…

Ukraine

Export of Ukrainian electricity to Belarus up 82% in January-September – (Belarusian telegraph Agency) In January-September the Republic of Belarus imported 2.954 billion kWh of Ukrainian electricity, up 82% over the same period a year earlier, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine…

Boiko: Ukraine needs energy independence to have economic growth – (ForUm) Entry into the international energy community has allowed Ukraine to fully adapt legislation to the EU standards, energy and coal industry ministry of Ukraine Yuri Boiko said during the presentation of the Energy Policy of Ukraine Review, ForUm correspondent reports…

Rosatom to Build Nuclear Fuel Plant in Ukraine – (The Moscow Times) Nuclear industry officials from Russia and Ukraine broke ground on a new nuclear fuel manufacturing plant in Ukraine on Thursday…

Ukrainian lawmaker defends his law on 'local content' for renewable energy plants – (KyivPost) Pro-presidential Party of Regions lawmaker Mykola Romaniuk says his amendments to the law on electricity, specifically the so-called “local content” requirement, should stimulate the development of the renewable energy sector in Ukraine…

Ukraine Starts Syngas Production Plants Construction in 2013 – (The Sacramento Bee) The construction of five plants producing synthesis gas from coal will start in Ukraine in 2013, according to the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych. Investment in the project may go up to USD 3.5 billion. Having been agreed upon in autumn of 2012, the project has currently moved to the stage of designing the plants…

Ukraine inches forward on cleaner, affordable energy – (KyivPost) A handful of alternative energy investment projects unveiled in recent weeks are providing a glimmer of hope that Ukraine’s fragile economy may someday run on cleaner, more efficient power…

Ukraine:Champions of Energy Inefficiency – (New Europe) Eager to reduce its imports of pricey Russian natural gas, Ukraine is turning to renewables. But in order for Kiev to win the bet for energy independence, the former Soviet republic has to boost energy efficiency…

Tombinsky: We ready give financial support for Ukraine – (forUm) Ukraine is committed to reform the energy sector and is willing to openly discuss further development, head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Ian Tombinsky said during the discussion "Ukraine and its investors: who will control the ownership of the securities?", ForUm correspondent reports…

Energy saving agency preparing national plan on introduction of energy efficiency – (Power Engineering) The State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine is drawing up a national plan of action on the introduction of energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy sources for the period until 2020, the agency's head, Mykola Pashkevych, has said…

 

 

 

 

 

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.