Albania

Albania's Regulator to Rule on Revoking CEZ Shperndarje's Operating License – (Ooska News) Albania's power board is set to appoint a new manager on Monday, January 21 for the loss-making subsidiary of the Czech utility CEZ, which has put its troubled unit up for sale following a bitter…

CEZ Risks Losing 200 Million Euros on Albania Investment – (Bloomberg) CEZ AS (CEZ), the largest Czech energy producer, risks losing as much as 200 million euros ($266 million) in Albania after a regulator revoked its license.. 

TAP gas pipeline gets nod from Albania – (UPI) BAAR, Switzerland, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- A decision by the Albanian government to stand by the planned Trans Adriatic Pipeline is "great step forward" for project development, an executive said… 

Power Utility CEZ Stripped of Grid Operator's License in Albania – (Novinite) Albanian energy regulator ERE has revoked the license of the local unit of Czech power utility CEZ to operate the country's national grid… 

TAP submits Environmental and Social Impact Assessment to Albania – (Trend) Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) submitted its Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the Albanian section of the proposed gas pipeline to the National Licensing Centre in Albania, TAP reported on Wednesday… 

Albanian government approves construction of three new micro hydro projects – (HydroWorld) Albania's territorial regulation body has granted licenses for the construction of three small hydroelectric projects… 

Bulgaria

Bulgaria's Nuclear Energy Referendum Will Be Invalid – Poll– (Novinite) The referendum on the future of nuclear energy in Bulgaria will end up being invalid, according to a recent poll…

Rosatom denies claims on EUR 10 B price for Bulgaria's Belene NPP – (Balkans) The proposed price for the construction of two 1000 MW units of what was supposed to become Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant, Belene, was EUR 6.3 B, not EUR 10 B, as Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov claims, Russian state company Rosatom stated on Tuesday… 

Bulgaria PM Vows Simpler Installation of Green Energy Roofs – (Novinite) A meeting between representatives of three Bulgarian ministries, the State Commission for Energy and Water Regulation (DKEVR), and renewable energy industry representatives ended with an agreement to adopt legal changes ensuring the simplification of administrative procedures for the installation of photovoltaic panels on roofs and facades of existing buildings… 

Bulgaria's Energy Minister Vows Oil, Gas Exploration in All Black Sea Blocks – (Novinite) Bulgaria will concentrate efforts on oil and gas exploration in its entire Black Sea aquatory, according to Economy and Energy Minister Delyan Dobrev… 

Bulgarian Cabinet approves renewable energy plan, offshore drilling tender – (Sofia Globe) In separate decisions on January 9, Bulgaria’s Cabinet approved a long-term renewable energy development plan, setting out targets for 2020 and a series of measures to meet those goals, and authorised the start of a tender for drilling rights on a large section of its Black Sea shelf… 

Bulgaria Reveals Germany's RWE 2008 Letter on N-Plant, Price Whopping EUR 10 B – (Novinite) German utility RWE abandoned plans to participate in the construction of a 2000MW nuclear plant in the Bulgarian Danube town of Belene after realizing that its price tag has towered to EUR 10 B, according to the prime minister… 

EU funds for Bulgaria nuclear decommissioning being used inefficiently – MEPs – (Sofia Globe) European Parliament’s budgetary controls committee has voted a resolution chastising three European Union member states that have been granted EU aid for decommissioning nuclear capacities, Bulgaria included, for not using the funds efficiently enough… 

Bosnia

Germany helps Bosnia and Herzegovina in energy efficiency – (Balkans) Delegation of German Economy in BiH, with the support Federal Ministry of Economy and Technology of Germany will organise a delegate travel to Germany from 25 February to 1 March…

Reservoir Granted Concessions for 18 MW Cehotina Hydroelectric Project in Bosnia - (MarketWire) is pleased to report that the Government of the Republika Srpska (an autonomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina) has granted 30-year concessions to the Company's wholly owned subsidiary REV d.o.o. Foca ("REV"), to develop and build three run-of-river hydroelectric power projects ("HPP") on the Cehotina River… 

Cost-effective electric lights may help Bosnia save EUR 50 mln annually - (Dalje) The use of incandescent light bulbs, which were phased out in European Union member states in 2012, accounts for the consumption of 1.12 billion kWh of electricity annually in households in Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to a report by local media on the widespread use of traditional bulbs… 

Croatia

Croatia Finds Compromise with Gazprom – (Fried News) Croatia will be connected with the South Stream pipeline. The construction costs will total € 60m Until 2016, Gazprom will build a junction to Croatia. In the next months, Croatian Plinacro will establish a joint venture company…

Acciona SA : ACCIONA Energy continues its international expansion by putting its first wind farm in Croatia into service  -(4-traders) ACCIONA Energy has put the 30-megwatt Jelinak wind farm into service, its first in Croatia thus continuing its expansion in international markets. ACCIONA is also a pioneer as the first Spanish wind power company to develop a project in the country… 

HEP Group, ADVA Optical Networking Announce First Deployment of 100G Technology in Croatia – (Azooptics) ADVA Optical Networking SE / ADVA Optical Networking and HEP Group Pioneer 100G High-Speed Optical Transmission Network in Croatia. Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement… 

Macedonia

NeSa Energy Plans 44-Turbine Wind Project in Southern Macedonia – (Bloomberg) NeSa Energy, a Turkish renewable- energy company, agreed to build a 130 million-euro ($173 million) wind farm in southern Macedonia…

Macedonia's Balkan Energy Group wins Skopje heating energy licences – (Cogeneration)  The Macedonian energy regulator said it had awarded licences to local company Balkan Energy Group for supply of heating energy in most parts of Skopje previously held by heating utility Toplifikacija… 

Macedonia's ELEM to wrap up 32 mln euro HPPs upgrade by end-2014 – (Hydroworld) SKOPJE (Macedonia), January 14 (SeeNews) - Macedonian state-owned power producer ELEM said the 32.1 million euro ($42.6 million) upgrade of its six hydro power plants (HPPs) will be completed by the end of 2014… 

Montenegro

Renewable energy in the center of Montenegro's energy sector reform – (Balkans) Montenegro pays special attention to the energy sector reform, as one of its greatest development potentials, in which renewable resources, primarily hydro and solar energy, take central stage, Prime Minister Milo Đukanović underlined Sunday in his speech at the opening of the 3th General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), that takes place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from 13-14 January…

Regional snowfall causes isolation, lack of power – (Setimes) Officials in some Balkan countries are taking steps to prepare for more harsh winter weather after freezing temperatures and heavy snow caused chaos in some communities this month… 

Montenegro adopts 2013 Energy Balance – (Balkans) Government adopted Energy balance for year 2013, where gross consumption is planned to be 3,634 thousand gigawatt hours, which is 8, 08% less than this year estimation of accomplishments… 

Romania

Romanian Government proposes new taxes on energy companies profiting from price deregulation – (Romanian Insider)  The Romanian government is planning new taxes on energy producers, as well as on energy distribution companies, according to draft proposals laid out on January 21…

Romanian energy regulator drafts new rules for free natural gas market – (Power Engineering) Romania's energy regulator, ANRE, has drafted and published on its website the preliminary regulations for the liberalized natural gas market… 

Romania Wind Energy: Windows of opportunity and financing challenges – (Ecoseed) According to a recent study done by Ernst & Young, Romania is one of the most lucrative countries in Europe for investors in wind energy… 

Romania plans tax on gas producers to subsidise price hikes – (Reuters) Romania's government plans an additional tax in 2013 on gas producers, which are enjoying higher profits as a result of the country's energy market deregulation, a draft law showed on Monday… 

Romania To Introduce 60% Surtax On Gas Producers – (Tax News) A draft law recently unveiled in Romania will introduce a temporary 60% income tax on gas producers in the country from February, including those operating in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone on the Black Sea… 

Romania’s Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant unit resumes operation – (EBR) State-owned Nuclearelectrica announced that Unit 2 of Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Romania has resumed operation on 10 January 2012, after it was automatically disabled by emergency system… 

Romanian TSO sheds light on electricity export cost rise – (ICIS) Romania's zonal tariffs have increased by 12% on average year on year. The rise of this component translates into total export costs to neighbouring countries rising by more than 9%, according to clarification from Transelectrica and trading sources active in the region… 

Serbia

Serbia Raises Gas Prices for Homes and Small Businesses on Feb.1 – (Bloomberg) Serbia’s energy regulator set higher natural gas prices for households and business consumers for the first time in 15 months as the state-owned gas monopoly seeks to trim losses…

Investors: Serbia's decrease of renewable energy incentives not a fair treatment  -(Balkans) The decision on reducing incentives for the production of electricity from wind energy without any consultation with us, along with the deterioration of all other conditions, cannot be called a fair treatment, say investors… 

Serbia’s Electricity Prices to Rise 10% to 12%, RTS Reports – (Bloomberg) Serbia’s energy regulator may approve a 10 percent to 12 percent increase in electricity prices next month, state-run broadcaster Radio Televizija Srbije reported, citing a government minister… 

Serbia Complains about High Price of Russian Gas – (Mena) The Serbian Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic has reiterated that the price of imported Russian natural gas was too high considering the level of friendly relations between the two countries… 

Serbia unit of Reservoir Capital Corp wins $58m HPP project in Bosnia and Herzegovina – (Balkans) REV, the Serbian unit of Canada's Reservoir Capital Corp , has won a 30-year concession to build three 18-megawatt hydro power plants in neighbouring Bosnia at a cost of $58m, Reservoir Capital said on Wednesday, Reuters reports… 

Armenia

Armenia negotiates with investors for development of inexhaustible energy sources sphere – (Armenpress) Armenia is negotiating with different foreign and local investors for implementation of programs in frames of wind and solar energy sectors…

Russian gas prices increase for Armenia – (Trend) A final decision has been taken concerning the price of Russian gas for Armenia. Starting in April, Gazprom will sell 1000 cubic meters of gas for $240 instead of the current $180, informed sources at the Zhohovurd newspaper reported, an Armenian report said… 

Armenia imports more natural gas from Russia in 2012 – (NZweek) The amount of natural gas Armenia imported from Russia saw a rise of 22.3 percent in 2012 compared with 1609.1 million cubic meters in 2011, Armrusgasprom, an Armenian Russian joint gas company, reported recently… 

U.S.-Armenia cooperative effort to establish an Armenian Nuclear Forensics Lab – (Public Radio of Armenia) On January 18, Ambassador John A. Heffern joined officials from the Armenian Ministry of Energy and National Security Service to open the Armenian Nuclear Forensics Laboratory at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP)… 

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan to bring capacity of alternative energy sources to 2000 megawatts – (Trend) According to primary estimates, the amount of funds required to bring the share of alternative and renewable energy sources in energy production in Azerbaijan to 20 per cent, will be around seven billion manat, head of the investment department of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Industry and Energy and national coordinator of the INOGATE programme Ramiz Rzayev told media today…

After Nabucco, TAP too proposes shares to Azerbaijan – (EurActiv) The Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP ) group has agreed offer up to 50% of its shares to the Shah Deniz gas consortium - made up of Azerbaijan's state gas company SOCAR and leading European energy partners… 

Contractors of large Azerbaijani energy project to be determined in 2014 – (Trend) Contractors for the construction of the second stage of the development of the "Shah Deniz" offshore gas condensate field in the Azerbaijani… 

Azerbaijani energy operator prepares for construction of new power station – (Trend) Azerbaijani energy operator prepares for construction of new power ... Azerenergy (production and distribution of electricity in Azerbaijan) told… 

Azerbaijan, EU to discuss issues on energy, transport and environment in Baku – (News.AZ) Baku will host a meeting of the subcommittee of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU in the field of energy, transport and environment on February 19… 

Azerbaijan's Aliyev shrugs off BP-Russia alliance – (CNN) Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has rejected suggestions that BP's new alliance with Rosneft, the Kremlin-controlled oil company, will provide scope for Russian interference in his country… 

EU ready to assist Azerbaijan in implementing environmental protection measures – (Trend) The European Union (EU) is ready to assist Azerbaijan in implementing measures for environmental protection and promotion, as this issue is... 

Georgia

Georgian Energy Minister inspects rehabilitation work on gas pipeline – (Trend) The minister was accompanied by Director General of the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation David Tvalabeishvili and representatives of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Georgian Energy Ministry told Trend today…

Projects Block VIII > Overview – (Georgian Energy Limited) Block VIII is located in the Rioni Basin in Central Georgia, 50km west of Tbilisi, covering an area of 4,760 sq. km. The Rioni Basin lies in the centre of the Black Sea, Caucasus and Caspian Region, a complex area of deep sedimentary basins and young mountain chains… 

Georgian Energy Ministry denies information on number and start of construction of new HPP – (Trend) Georgian Energy Ministry denies information provided by non-governmental sector and individuals concerned on the number of hydropower plants and start of construction works… 

Georgian Energy Ministry begins to monitor quality of electricity supply to population – (Trend) The Georgian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has begun to monitor the quality of electricity supplied to the population, the Ministry said… 

Moldova

Moldovan cabinet approves energy strategy until 2030 – (Bsanna)  Chisinau, January 17. /MOLDPRES/. The government today approved the Energy Strategy until 2030, which provides for concrete steps for the development of the energy sector in Moldova…

Russia

Russian government energy commission to discuss licensing, oil spills in Feb: minister– (Platts) The Russian government's energy commission will discuss licensing issues, including changes to the license for the Trebs and Titov field, as well as ways to tackle oil spills at its next meeting, likely to take place in February, Russia's natural resources minister Sergei Donskoy told reporters on the sidelines of Wednesday's session of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian government…

Russia pledges stable energy supply for EU – (The Voice of Russia) Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said the surge in Russia’s energy exports to the Asia-Pacific region won’t undermine European interests… 

Russia's Medvedev laments 'sad' disputes with Europe over energy, visas – (Fox News) Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is criticizing European energy regulations and visa policies and insisting that his country isn't a corrupt place to do business… 

Glance: A look at the facts and figures behind Russian energy giant Gazprom – (The Washington Post) Russian energy giant Gazprom is spending billions to expand its already massive footprint in Europe. Born out of the Soviet gas ministry in the rush of Russian privatizations, Gazprom is effectively the country’s gas industry, accounting for about 80 percent of the country’s natural gas output… 

Russia's Transneft to discuss oil supply plans with EU – (Financial Mirror) The European Union, concerned about energy supply disruption, has asked Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft to reveal its investment and supply plans, Transneft and EU officials said on Monday… 

Turkey

EFET contracts make progress in Turkish power, gas sectors – (ICIS) A total of 20 Turkey-based electricity companies are thought to have signed the master agreement developed by the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET), raising hope that activity on the over-the-counter market may increase this year, EFET's representative said…

Privatization of Turkey’s energy sector as a step towards EU – (Trend) Turkey's progress in the next wave of privatization of the energy sector is obvious. Practical implementation of the privatization are transferred to the ownership in 2012 and actively developing Petkim petrochemical holding, Seyitomer thermoelectric plant, Gediz and Akdeniz network companies… 

ENERGY MARKETS REPORT INCLUDING: Turkish energy officials say an explosion has hit the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline, - (Proactive Investors) WTI futures are currently trading lower echoing the decline seen during the Asian session after posting their highest levels in four months last week. WTI futures trade at USD 95.22 down USD 0.34. Last price taken at 1139GMT… 

Ukraine

Ukraine United Energy Systems to pay hefty debt – (The Voice of Russia) Ukraine’s Supreme Commercial Court has dismissed a cassation appeal, lodged by the Ukrainian government in connection with a hefty debt, due to be paid off by United Energy Systems of Ukraine (UESU)…

Ukraine continuing gas imports via Poland – (UPI) Ukraine continues to import European natural gas via Poland as it seeks to break the stranglehold of Russian supplies, Kiev's energy minister says… 

Ukraine readies giant shale gas deal with Shell – (EurActiv) Ukraine took a step closer to a breakthrough shale gas deal with global energy major Royal Dutch Shell when local authorities in the eastern Donetsk region approved a planned production sharing agreement… 

Kyiv Turns To 'Unconventional' Natural Gas To Wean Itself From Gazprom – (Radio Free Europe) Kyiv thinks it just might be sitting on the answer to the problem of reducing Ukraine's energy dependence on Russia: an estimated 1.2 trillion cubic meters of shale-gas reserves, the third-largest such deposits in Europe… 

Ukraine Considers Importing Gas From Slovakia – (Heraldonline) Ukraine is exploring two additional options of reverse gas supply from Europe, stated the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Eduard Stavytskyi on January 18, 2013, not disclosing the said options. 

  

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.