Europe & Eurasia Energy News Articles for June 20, 2013
Energy Technology and Governance Program
Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region. Click on the links for access to original publications.
USEA Briefing
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Albania
Statkraft kicks off Albania hydro – (Re News) Statkraft has kicked off construction at the 278MW Devoll hydropower plants in Albania. The scheme consists of three projects in the Devoll valley about 70km south-east of Tirana and will feature a head of 555 metres in the Devoll river…
Much promise, little joy in Albania's long search for oil – (Trust) In 35 years drilling for oil around the world, Leo Aubin says he's made a lot of money for a lot of people. Now the stout, moustachioed Canadian finds himself in Albania, boring a hole 6,000 metres deep for the black gold that the impoverished Balkan country has spent 100 years hunting…
ČEZ to pay dividend of CZK 40 per share, state to receive CZK 15bn – (Prague Daily) Prague, June 19 (CTK) - Czech energy group CEZ will pay Kc40 dividend per share before tax from 2012's profit, Kc5 per unit less than last year, and the state as a majority owner will receive around Kc15bn, an annual drop of Kc2bn, a general meeting of CEZ decided yesterday…
Statkraft prepares for Devoll hydroelectric project construction – (Hydro World) Norwegian utility Statkraft A.S. has announced its intent to begin construction on the Devoll hydroelectric complex in Albania, HydroWorld.com has learned…
Italy shows interests in new investments in Albania – (Global Times) Italian entrepreneurs from sectors such as renewable energy and infrastructure have shown interest in increasing investments in Albania…
Bulgaria
Bulgarian Energy Holding CEO Dismissed – (Novinite) Mihail Andonov, Chief Executive Officer of the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH), has been dismissed. Andonov, former CEO of the National Electric Company (NEK), was appointed CEO of BEH in March 2012…
Bulgaria’s energy watchdog to present new price formation model – (Focus) Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) will hold a press conference on Tuesday to present the new model for electricity price formation, the press office of the commission announced…
Bulgaria energy minister: Price formation model ready; to cut electricity price by 5%, if accepted – (Focus) “Model for electricity price formation is ready,” said Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy Dragomir Stoynev, speaking at an extraordinary briefing at the Council of Ministers…
Bulgarian energy firm BEH to meet investors for 250 mln Euro bond – (Reuters) Bulgaria's BEH, the state largest energy holding company, will meet with potential investors in its 250-million-euro ($321.81 million) bond issue in late July and early August, its chief executive said on Wednesday…
Bulgaria Govt Expects Overfulfuilment of Energy Efficiency Target by 2016 – (Novinite) Bulgaria may overfulfil its energy efficiency targets by 2016, according a report on the implementation of the Second National Energy Efficiency Action Plan in 2012…
Bulgaria PM: We see a chance to cut electricity price – (Focus) “As a result of the analysis done by experts, we see a chance to decrease the price of electricity,” said Bulgarian Prime Minster Plamen Oresharski at a meeting with NGOs at the Council of Ministers, FOCUS News Agency reporter informed…
Croatia
Foreign companies promise cheaper electric energy supply – (Croatian Times) Croatia's energy market has become the centre of debates this week as foreign companies will soon be allowed to offer electric energy supply to Croat citizens…
Vestas Wins 42MW Order in Croatia – (Todays Energy Solutions) Vestas has received a firm and unconditional order for 42MW. The 14 V90-3.0MW turbines will be installed in the province of Obrovac, Croatia…
Croatia Joins Greece, Italy to Push for Europe Caspian Gas Link – (Energy Tribune) Croatia has joined Greece, Albania, and Italy in pushing for the Trans-Adriatic pipeline, which would bring natural gas to Europe from the Caspian region through Turkey…
Slovenia's GEN-I offers cheaper electricity to Croatian consumers – (Dalje) Representatives of the Slovenian GEN-I electricity provider on Monday announced at a press conference that they would offer Croatian households and small businesses electricity at a price that is up to 30% cheaper than currently provided by the Croatian state-owned provider HEP….
Macedonia
Vecer, Macedonia: Govt postpones energy market liberalization – (Focus) Macedonia has postponed the liberalization of its energy market until January 2014, because the move might result in a drastic electricity price hike, writes the Macedonian Vecer daily…
EVN Macedonia to invest over billion euros in distribution network – (MINA) EVN Macedonia in the next twenty years will invest over one billion euros in new energy capacities in the distribution system, it is envisaged by EVN's Master Plan outlined on Tuesday…
KAP problems will not affect Montenegro's energy sector – (Balkans) The current situation in Montenegro's energy sector and the costs resulting from illegal electricity supply to the Aluminium Plant (KAP) will not affect the tariffs charged to the clients, says Energy Regulatory Agency (RAE)…
Romania
ET wraps up 28MW in Romania – (RE News) ET Solar Group has completed work on three PV plants with a total capacity of 28MW in Romania. The facilities, built for Romanian energy company Tinmar, are in Targu Carbunesti, Gorj county, and Simnicu de Sus, Dolj county…
Nabucco gets a boost in Romania – (Setimes) A special law on the Nabucco gas pipeline project, passed by the Romanian parliament in May, was enforced following a Bucharest meeting of the Nabucco Committee…
Reorganization plan for Romania’s largest energy producer Hidroelectrica filed, administrator stands to make EUR 2.2 mln – (Romania Insider) Euro INSOL, the judicial administrator of Romania’s insolvent energy producer Hidroelectrica, filed on Tuesday (June 11) the company’s reorganization plan in court…
Agriculture and green energy, a priority for Romanian-Egyptian cooperation – (Act Media) Agriculture, agri-food products processing industry, green energy and petrochemical industry are key areas for the development of bilateral relations between Romania and Egypt, identified at the Romanian-Egyptian Business Forum…
ET Solar completes 50MW PV projects in Romania – (Your Industry News) a leading solar one-stop solution provider, announces the completion of three photovoltaic plants with a combined capacity of 28MW for Tinmar-Ind S.A. ("Tinmar"), one of Romania's largest electricity suppliers and traders…
Serbia
Goldman Sachs Wants To Invest In Oil Storages In Serbia – (In Serbia) The Goldman Sachs delegation expressed the interest at the meeting with Serbian Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection Zorana Mihajlovic on June 6…
US Fully Supports Serbia On Its European Path – Kirby – (In Serbia) Serbia enjoys full support of the United States on its European path, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby has said at a meeting he had with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic…
Historic Kosovo-Serbia deal makes little headway – (Daily News) Two months since Serbia and Kosovo agreed to normalise relations, implementation of the accord has barely started just days before European leaders are due to decide whether they merit closer EU ties…
Armenia
Iran barters over 1.5 bcm of gas with Armenia electricity in 6 years – (Press Tv) National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said on Sunday that around 1.558 billion cubic meters of gas has been traded with Armenian electricity during the period of 2007 and 2012…
Armenia to Sell Largest Power Generating Facility – (Asbarez) A U.S. energy company announced on Wednesday that it is close to buying three big hydroelectric stations generating a considerable part of Armenia’s electricity…
RFE/RL: American firm shows interest in Armenian power plants – (Armenia Now) A U.S. energy company announced on Wednesday that it is close to buying three big hydroelectric stations generating a considerable part of Armenia’s electricity, reports RFE/RL’s Armenian Service…
No valid reason for electricity price increase: Armenia’s Union of Consumers – (ARKA) Increase in consumer prices for electricity is not justified, chairman of Armenia’s Union of Consumers Armen Poghosyan said…
Armenia snubs Russia after gas price hike – (BNE) An apparent Russian attempt to use energy supplies to force Armenia, one of its closest allies, to choose membership of the Customs Union over closer association with the EU, appears to have failed…
Water tariffs to rise in Armenia -(Azernews) The Armenian government continues increasing tariffs for communal services and now the population is waiting for rises in water services…
Trouble Brewing as Russia Increases Natural Gas Prices to Armenia – (Oil Price) Armenia is bracing for a roughly 18-percent hike in the price of natural gas imported from Russia. The unanswered question is what’s the domestic political cost for the Armenian government?..
Miller discussed full ownership of Armenia’s Armrosgazprom with Armenian Minister of Energy – (ARKA) Chairman of Gazprom Board Alexey Miller discussed a number of issues with Armenia’s Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan in Moscow Monday, RBC reports referring to the company’s press office…
Armenian energy minister fails to remember when gas price changing agreement was signed – (ARKA) Armenian energy and natural resources minister Armen Movsisyan failed today to remember when Armenia and Russia had signed an agreement to raise the price of Russian gas shipped to Armenia across Georgia…
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan wants to be part of European energy security, ambassador says – (Azernews) Azerbaijan, as an oil and gas exporter, not only seeks market competition, but also seeks to be part of the energy security of the European region by diversifying the production of natural resources to the world markets…
Azeri energy firm SOCAR says close to buying Greece's DESFA, tender is over – (Reuters) Azeri state energy company SOCAR said it has started talks with the Greek government on purchasing the country's natural gas grid operator DESFA, after being the only bidder in a failed tender for the asset sale…
Azersun Holding curtails operations in energy sector of Azerbaijan in favor of non-oil sector (abc.az) Group of companies Azersun Holding has curtailed its plans in the energy sector of the economy of Azerbaijan….
Azerbaijan’s Socar sets eye on Greek gas company – (Daily News) The Azeri state energy company Socar said it has started talks with the Greek government on purchasing the country’s natural gas grid operator DESFA, the asset of the national gas firm DEPA, after being the only bidder in a failed tender for the asset sale…
BP President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey has led Association of Oil & Gas Producers and announces oil & gas demand growth by 35% - (abc.az) BP President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gordon Birrell has been elected the chairman of board of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (OGP)…
Georgia
Three new hydro-power plants to be built in Georgia – (Azernews) Construction of three hydro-power plants is planned in the mountainous regions of Adjara, Georgia. The project was initiated by Adjara Water - Georgia LLC, according to the government of the autonomous region in the South Caucasus republic…
International consortium starts oil exploration in Georgian licence blocks – (Trend) A Georgian-British international oil consortium is to start prospecting and exploration work in two licensed blocks in Georgia…
Russia
Gazprom wants control of Armenian markets – (I Stock Analyst) Russian energy company Gazprom said it was reviewing the prospects of taking over an energy company in Armenia….
GE to create Russian venture to build power plants – (Reuters) U.S. conglomerate General Electric Co (GE.N) will create a joint venture with Russia's state-funded private equity vehicle to build mini power plants across Russia, the parties said on Tuesday…
Construction of joint Kyrgyz-Russian hydroelectric project commences – (The Times of central Asia) Last week, in the village of Tash-Bashat of the Naryn region of Kyrgyzstan, a ceremony was held for the commencement of construction of the Upper-Naryn cascade of hydropower plants, to be built with the participation of Russia….
Why Siberia Could Be Russia's Secret Economic Weapon – (CNBC) Once infamous as a place of exile and no-return during the Tsarist and then Stalinist eras, Siberia is being touted as a beacon of light by the Russian government as it looks east, rather than west, for growth potential….
Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and GE to Develop Joint Projects in Energy Sector – (Stockhouse) The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and General Electric (NYSE:GE) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to create a joint venture (JV) for the construction of mini power plants for manufacturing companies across Russia…
How safe are the Russian civilian nuclear reactors? – (The Daily Star) The Russian state-owned nuclear power company Rosatom has an all-in-one bargain package for third-world countries seeking to build nuclear power plants. It is known as BOO—“build, own, [and] operate” power plants for 60 years or BOOT—the T being for “transfer….
Turkey
Turkey looks to realize its huge shale gas potential – (Daily News) Turkey has appeared to accelerate its local energy exploration and production activities, specifically in local shale gas…
"Turkey to reduce imports of natural gas until 2023" says energy minister – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz said Tuesday Turkey aimed to reduce imports of natural gas until 2023, adding, "We will produce from the domestic sources instead of importing it."…
Turkey will invest 100 billion liras in energy: Taner Yildiz – (World Bulletin) Taner Yildiz said Turkey would invest 100 billion liras in energy including two nuclear power plants and coal in next 10 years…
Exxon aims to be with Turkey in Black Sea – (Daily News) Exxon is in talks with Turkey’s TPAO to buy a stake in a block in the Black Sea, and the country is on the hunt for shale gas in its own territory, the acting head of the state-owned energy company has said…
New $5 billion thermal power plant on the way in Turkey – (Daily News) Turkey plans to establish a 3,500-megawatt (MW) thermal power plant with a $5 billion investment in the western province of Afyon, which possesses 950 million tons of lignite, the energy minister said yesterday…
Ukraine to meet half-way regarding energy supplies via Turkey, says Kaskiv – (Kyiv Post) Ukraine is ready to meet it partners half-way regarding the bypassing of the Turkish Straits by its tankers with liquefied natural gas for the Ukrainian LNG-terminal, Head of the State Agency for Investment and National Projects Management Vladyslav Kaskiv has reported…
Turkey ranked 65th in the world energy use list – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey was ranked 65th in the world list of energy use or primary energy with its 1,551 kilograms of oil equivalent per capita…
Turkey to expand shale gas exploration – (World Bulletin) The shale gas potential of the provinces of Ankara, Konya and Nevşehir as well as the Thrace region will be explored in the near future, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız has said….
Turkey provides Iraq with more than 3000 power transmission towers – (Zawya) Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced on Sunday, that it has concluded a contract with a Turkish company to equip it with more than three thousand power transmission towers valued at 48 million $...
Ukraine
Ukraine may import LNG from across Black Sea - energy minister – (Interfax) Ukraine is examining the possibility of importing LNG from across the Black Sea, rather than on carriers that pass through the Bosphorus in Turkey, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky said…
Ukraine working to boost its nuclear capacity – (Press Tv) Ukraine plans to complete the construction of 2 nuclear units of the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant, which was started in the mid 80’s…
Stavytsky: Ukraine to pump more of its own gas into storage in July-September – (Kyiv Post) Ukraine will pump more of its own gas into underground storage between July and the middle of October 2013, enabling it to store an additional 1 billion cubic meters of gas, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky told reporters…
Azarov: Ukraine To Provide Itself With Domestic Gas In 10 Years - (UN.UA) Prime Minister Mykola Azarov expects that Ukraine will be able to provide itself with gas of own extraction in 10 years, he has said at a press conference. "During 5-10 years, Ukraine will manage to extract own 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas. It will fully cover all our needs and in further energy saving, we will be able to export some gas," Azarov said…
Shale gas could drive Ukraine's European integration – (Alaska Dispatch) For more than two decades, Ukraine has been unable to conduct an independent foreign policy because of its closely integrated and highly corrupt energy ties to Russia…
Ukraine seeks green light for Chevron shale deal – (Reuters) Ukraine's government has concluded negotiations with U.S. energy major Chevron on a second shale gas project and is lining up another energy deal with an ExxonMobil-led consortium, its energy minister said on Thursday…
Ukraine hopes to settle dispute with Westinghouse through negotiation – (Kyiv Post) The Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Ministry hope to settle their dispute with Westinghouse over damaged fuel assemblies through negotiation, Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky told the press on June 18…
Shale gas exploration deal with Chevron pending, Ukraine official says – (oil and Gas Journal) A tentative agreement has been reached between Ukraine officials and Chevron Corp. regarding exploration for shale natural gas in Oleska field in western Ukraine, Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky told reporters in Kiev on June 13…
Activ Solar Seeks to Tap Islamic Financing for Middle East – (Bloomberg) Activ Solar GmbH, the largest solar developer in Ukraine, is seeking to tap Islamic financing to expand into renewable energy markets in the Middle East…
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