Albania

Albania's investment meltdown credit negative for CEZ – (Balkans) Last Tuesday (November 20), the Albanian Energy Regulation Authority officially notified CEZ Shperndarje, the Albanian electricity distribution utility 76%-owned by Czech utility CEZ, a.s. (A2 stable), that the regulator had initiated a procedure to withdraw the companys license to operate in the country…

CEZ: trouble in Albania – (beyondbrics) Emerging markets usually warrant a risk premium because they tend to be pretty risky – as CEZ, the Czech utility, is finding out with its troubled Albanian investment…

Albanian regulator to revoke CEZ's distribution licence – (Power Engineering) Albanian energy regulator ERE is starting a procedure to revoke Czech utility CEZ's electricity distributor licence in Albania, ERE confirmed on Monday…

Albania will increase energy generation fourfold – (bsanna) Albania is a small country on the map, it is the most mountainous and rocky terrain in Europe, but if your take a closer look, the water resources are abundant, several times higher compared to its surface area…

Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s political battle lines over nuclear energy referendum – (Sofia Globe) The political picture that emerges as Bulgaria’s parties line up their positions regarding the January 27 2013 referendum on the future of nuclear energy in the country is rather perplexing…

If Bulgaria needs energy sources, we will not be indifferent: Turkish President – (Focus) If Bulgaria needs energy sources, we will not remain indifferent, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said at a joint press conference together with his visiting Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev, FOCUS News Agency’s reporter Yana Netsova informs…

Bulgarians split on country's nuclear energy future – (Setimes) On January 27th, Bulgaria will hold its first referendum in over four decades to determine whether nuclear energy should be developed further by building a new nuclear power plant, reigniting a debate on the necessity, financing and safety of such energy…

Bulgarian Energy Holding Termed 'Very Reliable Partner' in Nabucco – (Novinite) Reinhard Mitschek, Managing Director, Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH, has defined the state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) as "a very reliable partner in the Nabucco gas pipeline project who works very ambitiously."..

Bulgaria Upgrades its Regional Energy Role – (Balkanalysis) For the better part of 2012, Bulgaria has been upgrading its role in regional energy developments, engaging in a multilayer policy regarding multiple projects that will potentially elevate its role in the geo-economic sphere in the mid- and long-term…

Bulgaria to get price cut in Gazprom deal – (UPI) Bulgaria will receive a 20 percent discount on Russian gas supplies under a new, 10-year contract with Russian supplier Gazprom, the two sides say…

Bulgarian Nationalist Backs Belene N-Plant Project – (Novinite) Krasimir Karakachanov, leader of Bulgaria's marginal nationalist party VMRO, has declared his party's support for the development of nuclear energy in the country through the construction of a nuclear power plant in the town of Belene…

Bosnia

NGP, Bosnian Serbs May Build Hydro Plants Worth $1.65 Billion – (Bloomberg Business Week) New Generation Power, a U.S. energy developer, signed an agreement today with the Bosnian Serb government on building four hydro plants on the Drina river in central Balkans…

US billionaire to invest in energy sector in Bosnia – (Energy Bangla) A   US power company has agreed to invest billions of dollars to build hydropower plants in Bosnia , local media reported recently…

Bosnian utility shortlists 11 firms for coal-fired unit in Tuzla – (Fossil Fuel) Bosnian power utility EPBiH has shortlisted 11 international companies and consortia to partner it in constructing a 450MW coal-fired unit at its power station in Tuzla, Bosnia…

Bosnia: HPPs to be built taken environmental system into consideration – (Balkans) "As long as we have a choice in building energy plants, it is up to us to chose the best one'', Tarik Kupusovic, director of Institute for Hydrotechnics stated at the regular Sunday session of Association of Independent Intellectuals ''Circle 99''…

Bosnia and Herzegovina's EPBH records revenues of 1 billion marks, profit only 1.5 million – (Balkans) Revenue of Electric Power Industry of BH is almost a billion marks, while the profit is only 1.5 million. Adopting a report on the operations of companies in the field of energy in 2011 in which the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry achieves control over the basis of the state capital, the Federal Government commissioned this ministry to continue to monitor and analyze the situation and, if necessary, to propose the necessary measures and activities…

Croatia

Croatia's bold energy plans face uncertain future – (BNE) Croatia is one of the world's most energy-import dependent countries, yet there's an increasingly mixed outlook for the ambitious investment plans of Croatian power monopoly Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP) following the recent turn of events at both home and abroad…

Croatia ups PV quota – (PV Magazine) The Croatian government has voted to increase the existing quota for photovoltaic capacity eligible for feed-in tariffs (FITs) from 15 MW to 45 MW in 2013. Overall, it expects to meet its 2020 quota of 45 MW of installed capacity by next year…



Macedonia

Water and energy to be the two biggest problems for FYR Macedonia – (Balkans) Water and energy are the two biggest problems FYR Macedonia will be facing in coming years, according to analyses of the World Bank's Green Growth program…

Montenegro

Montenegro signs declaration of accession to Energy Charter – (Balkans) At yesterday's Energy Charter's ministerial meeting in Warsaw, Economy Minister Vladimir Kavarić signed the Declaration on Montenegro's accession to that organisation…

Romania

Romania Energy Regulator to Decide Next Year on Solar Cuts – (Bloomberg) Romania’s energy regulator will decide early next year whether to recommend a cut in solar incentives as project costs fall…

Romania Jan-Sept energy production down 2 pct y/y – (Reuters) Romania's energy production fell 2 percent on the year in January-September, while imports fell 3.4 percent, data from the National Statistics Board showed on Thursday…

Romania proposes reducing green certificates for PV – (PV Tech) The Romanian National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) has suggested the number of green certificates awarded to investments in PV and biomass should be cut…

Romania's PV market: an overview  -(The Diplomat) European Union is renewable energy policy is set out in two main documents: Directive 2009/28/CE of the European Parliament and Council, of 23 April 2009, and the chapter on Energy and Climate Change from the Europe 2020 Strategy…

Romania to produce more solar than nuclear power in 2016 – (Business Recorder) if investment in photovoltaic plants continues at the current pace, official figures released on Monday showed. "We expect the installed capacity of solar plants to reach 50 to 100 MW at the end of 2012, 500 to 1,000 MW at the end of 2013 and to top 1,500 MW in 2016," an official of the national energy regulator (ANRE), Zoltan Nagy, told a solar power conference…

Romania to produce 84 pct of its energy from renewable sources by 2050 – (Actmedia) Romania will produce 84 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2050, as such production is put at 25 percent at present, reveals the Energy [R]evolution Report for 2012 launched by Greenpeace Romania at a news conference on Monday.According to the conclusions of the research, in which estimations are made based on two scenarios (Energy [R]evolution and a benchmark scenario respectively), the renewable sources at present meet a quarter of the...

EBRD lending Romania 91 million euros for wind farm – (Actmedia) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing Romania a loan of 91 million euros towards the construction and operation of an 80 MW wind farm located in Chirnogeni in the Dobrogea region…

Serbia

Serbia expects 50% share in future JV with RWE and other strategic partners – (Balkans) The top priorities for the Ministry of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection are related to the improvement of energy efficiency, energy infrastructure construction and change in the way of managing public enterprises within this sector, says Prof. Zorana Mihailovic, Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection and adds: It’s high time to put things in order in Serbian energy sector…

Serbia asks Russia for $1 billion loan - Russian energy minister – (Reuters) Serbia has asked Russia for a $1 billion loan, including $300 million in 2012 and $700 million next year, Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday…

Serbia's Energy Minister announced new incentive tariffs for the production of electricity from renewable energy sources – (Balkans) Serbia's Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection Zorana Mihajlovic announced that new incentive tariffs (feed-in) for the production of electricity from renewable energy sources will be known in ten days…

Armenia

France may engage in Armenia’s new power unit construction – (PanArmenia) Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault as part of his official visit to Paris.  President Sargsyan noted development of trade and economic relations and growth of turnover as a priority, hailing French investments in Armenia…

Azerbaijan

SOCAR touts TANAP at Westminster meeting – (UPI) The president of Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR says it is ready to move ahead with a trans-Anatolian natural gas pipeline after parliamentary approval…

Azerbaijan dangles EU gas bonanza – (euobserver) Azerbaijan says it might sell up to 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas a year to the EU in future. But it wants more than just money in return…

Partners’ expenditure on energy projects in Azerbaijan exceeds $ 1 bln – (Trends) The expenditure for fulfilling the contracts and orders within the projects operated by the British company BP in Azerbaijan, exceeded $1.17…

AREA: energy efficiency to increase cost of construction in Azerbaijan only by 10% - (abc.az) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The State Company for Alternative & Renewable Energy Sources (AREA) believes that energy efficiency can be a good business and will not lead to a serious increase in property prices…

Fall in prices for ‘energy efficient’ construction materials is expected in Azerbaijan – (abc.az) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The State Company for Alternative & Renewable Energy Sources (AREA) believes that energy efficiency can be a good business.  AREA chairman Akim Badalov has stated that today energy efficiency is relatively expensive in Azerbaijan…

First hybrid station soon to launch electricity supply to Azerbaijani common power grid – (Trend) The supply of electricity generated by a hybrid power plant established in the Gobustan region of Azerbaijan, to the common power grid of Azerenergy will be launched in near future, the representative of State Agency on Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources Jamil Melikov told journalists on Wednesday…

Georgia

Georgian Energy Ministry: SOCAR not monopolist – (Trend) The Georgian Energy Ministry does not consider SOCAR to be a monopoly on the Georgian gas market, Kommersant radio reported, quoting Deputy Energy Minister Mariam Valishvili…

Georgian PM vows at least 10% electricity, gas tariff cut – (News.az) Halving of tariff for household electricity and gas consumption will be impossible, but it will be reduce at least by 10% next year, PM Bidzina Ivanishvili said on November 28…

Georgian Energy Minister to meet with shareholders of Inter RAO UES Telasi – (Trend) Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze will meet with representatives of the Russian company Inter RAO UES in Istanbul.  The meeting will discuss issues on Georgian-Russian energy cooperation…

Minister: Georgian government ready to discuss Kazakh manager’s return to KazTransGas-Tbilisi – (Trend) The Georgian government is ready to discuss the issue of withdrawing a temporary manager of the "KazTransGas-Tbilisi" gas distribution company and returning Kazakh management to manage the company, Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze said after a meeting with a Kazakh governmental delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Erbol Orynbayev…

Electricity and gas bills not to decrease dramatically – (Georgia Online) Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili said that the pre-election promise to to decrease tariffs for gas and electricity by half, have been overstated, and cannot be fulfilled…

Power station construction project discussed in Georgia – (Trend) Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze and the Silk Road Company head Giorgi Ramishvili have discussed a project to construct hydropower stations on the River Bakhvistskali, the Georgian Ministry of Energy said today…

Delegation of Russian Inter RAO UES arrives in Tbilisi – (Trend) A delegation of the Russian company "Inter RAO UES" will arrive in Tbilisi today, Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze told journalists.

Tbilisi to host int’l conference on electricity trading in region – (Trend) Tbilisi will host conference "Electricity trading at the regional level" on Nov.19-20. The conference is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the project "Encouraging investments in the hydropower sector"…

Moldova

Moldovan PM: Contract for Russian gas to Moldova to be extended another year – (Kyivpost) The Gazprom contract with Moldova to supply the latter with gas will be extended for another year, Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat told the press…

Russia

Federal Grid Company delegation visits London Stock Exchange – (Electric Light and Power) Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System ("Federal Grid" the "Company", Moscow Exchange, LSE: FEES), the operator and manager of Russia’s unified electricity transmission grid system, announces that a delegation headed by Chairman of the Management Board Oleg Budargin today visited the London Stock Exchange…

Russia's FSK to invest $24.4 bln under 5-year plan – (Reuters) Russian state-run Federal Grid Company is to invest 775.5 billion roubles ($24.4 billion) over five years from 2013…

Russia's Gazprom wins 30-year gas export deal in Turkey – (Reuters) Gazprom clinched a long-term deal on Monday to export natural gas to private companies in Turkey, securing a growing market for the Russian gas export monopoly as it faces declines from its core consumers in the European Union…

Russian wind powering europe? IFC explores the possibility – (RE new Economy) There’s reportedly a plan to construct large wind farms in an arctic region in northwestern Russia. The plan was inspired by the Desertec initiative. The plan, which is called RUSTEC, involves building dozens of wind farms, which would then export the wind energy to Europe through Norway and Finland…

28 charging stations for electric cars launched in Moscow city and region – (Utility Products) The infrastructure of battery-recharging stations for the electric vehicles has received a fresh impetus for further development in Russia. In the format of Tuesday's conference devoted to the development of the country's charging infrastructure, the Federal Power Grid company of the Russian Unified Energy System (UES) declared on the setting up and launching of the "National program for the development of the electric transport charging infrastructure for the period of 2013 through 2015."..

Russian-Bulgarian energy relations near melting point – (EurActiv) Future energy relations between Bulgaria and Russia could be decided on 15 November, the deadline for Bulgaria to sign a deal to build the South Stream gas pipeline across its territory. European officials say they are closely watching the developments but don’t see South Stream as a priority…

Can Russian Wind Turbines Power Europe? – (The Green Optimistic) Massive Arctic region in the northwest part of Russia might be built up with wind farms thanks to the RUSTEC project. The energy will be transported to Europe through Norway and Finland, helping the continent to meet their renewable energy goals…

Russia Energy Ministry Mulls Novatek LNG Export Request – Reports – (Fox Business) Russia's energy ministry is considering a request from the country's largest independent natural-gas producer, OAO Novatek (NVTK.RS), to grant an exception to state-controlled OAO Gazprom's (GAZP.RS) monopoly on liquefied natural gas exports, Russian newswires quoted the energy minister as saying Tuesday…

Gazprom keen on Japanese Market – (UPI) Russian energy company Gazprom said it was reviewing liquefied natural gas options in the Far East with representatives from the Japanese government…

Putin says Russia's economy to suffer from WTO entry – (Reuters) Russia's energy-based economy will take a serious blow from membership of the WTO coupled with a global slowdown, President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday, singling out the most vulnerable sectors of the $1.9 trillion economy…

Turkey

Another electricity distribution network of Turkey put up for privatization – (Trend) Electricity distribution network of the European side of Istanbul Bogaziçi Elektrik Dağıtım AŞ is fully put up for privatization, Turkish State…

Turkey Goes Ahead with Power Plants on Bulgarian Border – (RIANOVOSTI) Turkey is going ahead with its plans to build a nuclear power plant just several kilometers away from the border with Bulgaria, Turkish President, Abdullah Gul said on Wednesday…

Turkey: Which Thermal Power Plant To Buy? – OpEd – (Eurasia Review) Our job is “energy generation,” and it is specifically “thermal power plants” firing local indigenous coal. In our new legislation, all thermal power plants are in the privatization scheme…

Turkey Eager to Diversify Bulgaria's Energy Sources – (Novinite) Turkey is willing to help Bulgaria diversify its energy sources, Turkish President Abdullah Gul has told his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev…

Turkey's dependence on imported energy resources to be reduced to 30 per cent – (Trends) Turkey's dependence on imported energy resources over the next 10 years will be reduced from the current 50 per cent to 30 per cent of its total…

Istanbul hosts Nuсlear Energy Summit – (news.az) Preliminary meetings of the 3rd Nuclear Safety Summit to be held in 2014 in the Netherlands have begun in Istanbul. Representatives form more than 50 countries and many other international organizations are joining the meeting…

Two nations lag behind in race for Turkish nuclear – (Daily News) Two out of the four bidders for Turkey’s second planned nuclear plant have taken steps forward in the process, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said yesterday, while reflecting on the approaching deadline for the final selection…

Nuclear Turkey with Russian Dressing – (Foreign Policy) Last fall, a pilot group of Turkish students arrived in the forested "Science City" of Obninsk, a once-secret location for Stalin's nuclear program 60 miles outside Moscow. Sponsored by Russia's nuclear industry, the students are the first of some 600 Turks who will be brought to Russia in small groups over the coming years to enroll in a six-and-a-half-year program to learn Russian and earn degrees in nuclear power and engineering, embarking on a program that will help bring Turkey into the nuclear club of nations…

Ukraine

Ukraine demands immediate South Stream consultations with Energy Community – (Kyivpost) Ukraine's Energy and Coal Industry Ministry has again requested of the Energy Community Secretariat the immediate initiation of consultations over the South Stream gas pipeline project, which runs counter to Ukraine's national interests, an informed source in the government has told Interfax-Ukraine…

Ukraine reportedly duped on $1bn gas deal – (RT) One of Ukraine’s steps to energy independence quickly turned into a fiasco after signing a $1.1 billion deal on joint construction of an LNG terminal on the Black Sea. Now Kiev is trying to figure out with whom it actually signed the contract…

Association Of Alternative Energy Companies Considers Green-Tariff Coefficient For Sale Of Electricity From Biogas Too Low – (Utility Products) Six associations uniting participants on the market of alternative energy consider the green tariff's coefficient for sale of electricity produced from biogas that is stipulated in the parliament-adopted Law No. 10183 on Amendments to the Law on Electricity as too low…

Azarov: LNG terminal is big step in securing Ukraine's energy independence – (kyivPost) The construction of the LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal is a real step in securing Ukraine's energy independence, according to Ukrainian Premier Mykola Azarov…

Boiko: Ukraine verifying authority of Spanish signatory of LNG-terminal consortium deal – (KyivPost) Ukraine is checking whether a representative of a Spanish company had the authority to sign a framework agreement to establish a consortium to build an LNG-terminal in Odesa region, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boiko has said…

Ukraine wants to secure transit guarantee from Russia because of new bypass pipelines – (KyivPost) Gazprom's plans to build bypass gas pipelines with excess capacity means it is necessary to revise the gas giant's contract with Naftogaz Ukrainy for the transit of Russian natural gas through Ukraine since the current document does not contain guarantee transit volume, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Minister Yuriy Boiko told journalists in Kyiv on Monday…

Ukrainian PV market on the verge of expansion – (PV Magazine) The maturing photovoltaic markets in Germany, Spain, France and Italy, and recent feed-in tariff cuts in a number of key markets have prompted solar investors to look for new opportunities in south east European (SEE) nations and Commonwealth Independent States (CIS). Ukraine is presenting one logical and very interesting investment alternative…

Ukraine reduces gas consumption 10% in ten months of 2012 – (KyivPost) Ukraine reduced gas consumption 9.7% (by 4.441 billion cubic meters) year-on-year to 41.162 bcm in January-October 2012, the country's Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry told Interfax –Ukraine on Tuesday…

Ukraine prepared for possible litigation with Russia on gas purchases – (KyivPost) Ukraine does not consider fair the terms and conditions of the existing contract with Russia regarding transfer of Russian gas to Europe and is prepared for possible litigation with Russia regarding purchases of natural gas from that country, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boiko said on Inter television channel on Friday…

Ukraine exports electricity worth $442 million in 9 months – (KyivPost) Ukraine in January-September 2012 exported electricity worth $442.039 million, the State Statistics Service has reported…

Ukraine looks for alternatives to Russian gas in Qatar and Azerbaijan – (RT) After announcing its plans to halve imports of Russian gas, Ukraine is looking for sources of cheaper gas.

Ukraine plans to barter wheat for LNG from Qatar the Ukrainian media report during President Viktor Yanukovich’s visit to the UAE and Qatar…

  

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.