Europe & Eurasia Energy News Articles for March 28, 2014

Energy Technology and Governance Program

             

 Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region.  Click on the links for access to original publications


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April 23                USEA Annual Membership Meeting and Public Policy Forum Washington, DC


Albania

Albania exclusive: Electricity market and power generation, the actial status and influencing factors, the report – (Serbia Energy) Albania exclusive: Electricity market and power generation, the actial status and influencing factors, the report…

 

Electric power, this “cash cow” which is endlessly “milked” – (BalkanEU) IBNA Observation/For many years, electric power has been systematically stolen by Albanians. This phenomenon has been so constant that the government is proud of reducing the level of losses in the network from 50 to 42%. The prime minister talks about a “life or death battle”. The performance of the Albanian energy system from the years of communism until today…

 

ALBANIA: why invest in renewable energy infrastructure – (SRM-MED)  The following report describes the main actions and priorities of the renewable energy sector in Albania. The goal is to provide a framework of laws and financial instruments for companies wishing to invest in renewable energy in this country…

 

Albania to launch radical reforms in energy sector – (SINA) Albanian Minister of Energy and Industry Damian Gjiknuri said Monday that the energy sector of Albania will undergo radical reforms. "The energy sector risks degradation unless reforms are undertaken," Gjiknuri said at an economic forum held in Tirana with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development…

 


Bulgaria

 

Liberalization of Bulgaria's Electricity Market Will Increase Price – (Novinite) The 2015 liberalization of Bulgaria's electricity market will increase the prices by 30-40%, if energy efficiency is not improved, warn experts.  At a discussion on the problems of the energy sector, the experts recommended that government takes measures to encourage small-scale production for own use of factories and residential buildings and avoid mega-projects and centralized energy production

 

Minister Dragomir Stoynev Discusses Nationalisation of EDCs in Case of Revocation of Their Licenses – (Energetika) In fact, the change of ownership will not solve any of the problems in the sector. The dispute over the obligations between the EDCs and the National Electric Company (NEC) is commercial and it is not a reason...

 

Competitive Energy Market debate held in Bulgaria capital (ROUNDUP) – (Focus) A discussion themed "Development of a Competitive Energy Market in the Context of the Green Economy" is being held in the capital city Sofia, FOCUS News Agency reported.  ”The problem is not whether there should be another NPP or a unit [of it]…

 

Bulgarian Minister: EU Failed in its Industrial, Energy, Social Policy – (Novinite) Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Dragomir Stoynev has declared the industrial, energy and social policy of the European Union "a total failure." Speaking Friday in Sofia at a conference entitled "Social Alternative for Europe", he said the collapse had happened after approximately two terms in office of the rightwing European People's Party (EPP)…

 

Bulgaria’s energy committee hears power distribution companies (ROUNDUP) – (Focus) Parliamentary Energy Committee was to hear Wednesday the district power distribution companies operating on the territory of Bulgaria – CEZ, EVN and Energo-Pro, FOCUS News Agency reported…

 

Half a Million Bulgarians Barely Pay Electricity Bills – (Novinite) Around 500 000 Bulgarians find it difficult to pay their electricity bills, an expert at a Bulgarian energy trade union said. An energy board must be immediately introduced if the government is to answer their needs, Bozhidar Mitev, who chairs the Independent Federation…

 

Bulgaria: Energy Regulator Officially Revokes Electricity Supply Licenses without Offering Alternatives – (Energetika) Once again, the Regulator stood by NEC side, although the state company owes huge amounts of money to the three distribution companies for green energy and other public and private power, which should also be t...

 

Reactions to Decision of Bulgarian Regulator to Start Procedure for Revoking Licenses of 3 Utility Companies – (Energetika) EVN Bulgaria Elektrosnabdiavane states that they continue to believe in the correctness and legality of their actions. The company regards this procedure as another opportunity that will demonstrate the shortcomings...

 

Bulgaria should think about energy efficiency – (Focus) Bulgaria should think about energy efficiency,” MEP and chairperson of the National Movement for Stability and Progress Antoniya Parvanova, who is attending a discussion themed "Development of a Competitive...

 

Gas Prices to Go Down 3 to 15% in Bulgaria, Says Energy Watchdog – (Novinite) Natural gas prices in Bulgaria will decrease by 3 to 15%, the country's energy watchod DKEVR announced Friday. Boyan Boev, head of the State Commisison for Energy and Water Regulation (what DKEVR stands for), said he hoped the move would push more Bulgarians to use gas, the website Expert.bg reports…

 

Natural gas price down by 2.73%: Bulgaria energy watchdog – (Focus) Price of natural gas will be decreased by 2.73% as of April 1. The decision was taken by the State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) and is available on the institution’s website…

 

Bulgaria energy watchdog aims at boosting natural gas use– (Focus) “Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) aims at boosting the share of household consumers using natural gas, which at the moment amounts to around 3% - 3.5%,” SEWRC Chairperson Boyan Boev said earlier today during the public discussion on a draft decision on change of the prices of electricity produced by thermal power plants with combined production…

 

Bulgaria's parliamentary committee on energy will hear from district power distribution companies– (Balkans) Bulgaria's parliamentary committee on energy will hear from the district power distribution companies operating on the territory of Bulgaria – CEZ, EVN and Energo-Pro. Last week Bulgaria’s State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (SEWRC) opened procedures for the revoking of the licences for exercising public power distribution issued to EVN Bulgaria Electricity Distribution, CEZ Electro Bulgaria and Energo-Pro Sales.

 

NPP Kozloduy Wants to Sell More Electricity on Open Market – (Energetika) Each year, the Regulator determines how much of the plant’s power is to be retained for generation of electricity for sale to protected consumers (mainly households). The quota for this year is 55% and the other...

 

New EU Program to Cover Energy-Efficient Building Costs in Bulgaria – (Novinite) Some 25% of buildings can become energy efficient by 2020 if Bulgaria absorbs the next programming period funds, according to Regional Development Minister Desislava Terzieva. The new operational program for regional development provides…

 

Power Distributor EVN 'Will Not Pay' Debt to Bulgaria's NEK – (Novinite) Power distributor EVN declared it will not make any payments to Bulgaria's National Electricity Company (NEK) on Friday. In a press release to the media, EVN has stated that the sum of BGN 216.6 M it allegedly owes to NEK and which Bulgaria's…


Bosnia and Herzegovina

 

Federation BiH Government Awards Concession for HPP Janjići to Elektroprivreda BiH – (Energetika) The potential total output of HPP Janjići is estimated at 68.25 GWh. A EUR 30 million loan was taken out for project implementation with the Frankfurt-based bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).HPP Janj…

 

EP BiH Issues a Call for HPP Vranduk – (Energetika) As stated in the press release, the documents can be submitted by 17 April 2014 at the latest, after which Elektroprivreda will evaluate the applications received, and all the applicants that meet the requireme...

 

Livno, BiH, to Get Europe’s Biggest Solar Park – (Energetika) The energy facilities will have a rated capacity of 150 MW, and will be constructed along with the associated 400 kV substation. The latter will be connected to Croatia’s long distance transmission network to ...

 

Elektroprenos BiH Adopts Three-Year Investment Plan – (Energetika) The Management Board also devised the employment plan and the business plan. They released the old management and appointed a new one, which is now waiting for the approval of shareholders, represented by Prime...

 

Bosnian gas supply in danger because of Russian-Ukrainian crisis – (Bsanna News) The BH Gas company, the main supplier of natural gas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been notified by Russia's Gazprom Export that gas deliveries might be suspended because of the crisis in Russian-Ukrainian relations, Bosnian media reported on Tuesday…

 


Croatia

 

Croatia Helps Energy Efficiency, Renewable Sources on Local Level – (Energetika) The users of the support, worth 500,000 kuna (1 euro = 7.66 Croatian kuna), will be the Međimurska county, five municipalities in that northernmost Croatian county, and Nobilis, an ecology group. “Croatia spend...

 

Croatia to improve energy efficiency of family houses – (Balkans) Croatian government on Thursday adopted a decision on launching a programme to improve the energy efficiency of family houses for the 2014-2020 period, with a detailed plan for the period from 2014 to 2016…

 

Croatia to Publish Adriatic Exploration Tender in Two Weeks – (Energetika) The tender will be open for seven months. According to the interest for our data room that we currently witness, I'm confident the tender will draw considerable interest among many major energy firms which are…

 

INA Unhappy About Frequent Regulatory Changes in Croatia – (Energetika) Earlier this week the government in Zagreb adopted new rules related to the fees for exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons which consist of cash payment and a share in production of gas and oil. The gove…

 


Kosovo

 

An effective and strong Energy Community is essential for addressing Europe's Energy Challenges – (Energy Community) The Energy Community is a win-win instrument. On the one hand, cooperation with our neighbours, via the Energy Community, is a key to ensuring the EU’s energy security and affordable energy…

 

MWH Presents 'Kosovo Sustainable Energy Projects' at REM 2014 conference – (PRWeb) MWH Global, the wet infrastructure leader has participated in the 2014 REM – Renewable Energy Mediterranean Conference and Exhibition, held in Ravenna from 26 to 27 March…


Macedonia

 

Wind Farm in Bogdanci to power town of 60,000 – (MINA) Macedonia's first-ever wind farm built in Bogdanci by JSC "Macedonian Power Plants" is expected to generate at least 100 GWh of naturally sustainable energy annually, which would be sufficient to supply electricity for over 60,000 inhabitants i.e. a larger city in Macedonia…


Montenegro

 

Montenegro: Morača Hydro Power Plants Attract No Interest – (Energetika) The Montenegrin economy ministry has received no requests for clarification of the tender specifications. According to the existing technical specifications, the system of hydro power plants on the river Morač...

 

Montenegro Joins CEER – (Energetika) On 17 March 2014, during the 100th meeting of the CEER General Assembly, they admitted REGAGEN, the regulatory authority of Montenegro, as an observer. CEER was established in 2000 when 10 energy regulators sig...

 

HPP Piva No Longer Point of Cooperation between Serbian and Montenegrin Power Utilities – (Energetika) With a power capacity of 3 x 114 MW, the facility was used within the EPS system as a peaking power plant as well as to balance the hydro power plants on the lower Drina river: HPP Višegad, HPP Bajina Bašta, an…

 

Italy and Montenegro Ready to Move Forward in Submarine Cable Project – (Energetika) The project of a submarine cable aimed to connect the electricity grids of the two Adriatic countries is worth some 800 million euros. The cable is planned to be 420 kilometres long, out of which 390 kilometres...


Romania

 

Romania To Scrap Cogeneration Energy Tax – (Tax-News) Romania's Department of Energy has prepared a draft Bill to scrap the cogeneration tax for electricity exporters. The proposal is aimed at making the country a leading supplier for central and south-eastern Europe…

 

EBRD to help Romania draft its national energy strategy – (Romanian-Insider) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development EBRD will support Romania in drafting its national energy strategy. The Delegate Minister for Energy Razvan Nicolescu recently met an EBRD delegation led by Riccardo Puliti, general manager for Energy and Natural Resources, and James Hyslop, director for Romania within EBRD…

 

Romania to benefit from EBRD technical assistance to draft national energy strategy – (ACT Media) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will offer the Romanian Energy Department technical assistance aimed at drafting the national energy strategy, the Department said in a release.Minister-delegate for Energy Razvan Nicolescu met a visiting EBRD delegation headed by Riccardo Puliti, the EBRD Managing Director in charge of the energy and natural resources sectors, with the talks focusing on energy issues ...

 

Romania: €20 million extended for generation of green electricity – (Balkans) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) continues to invest in renewable energy production in Romania, with its first financing of a solar energy project in central and south-eastern Europe…

 

EBRD to help fund EDP Renováveis’ 50MW of solar power in Romania – (Romanian-Insider) Renewable energy company EDP Renováveis has agreed to a EUR 30 million project finance structure with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Black Sea Trade Development Bank for 50MW of solar power in Romania…

 

What’s Next in Romania's Solar energy market?– (Balkans) The rise and fall of Romania’s solar market is another example of the old forces dictating solar demand.  Last year, Romania installed more than 1 gigawatt of solar PV for the first time ever, putting the country into a tier that includes global players such as Italy, India, Greece and the United Kingdom. Developers had first begun to move into the Romanian market as incentives waned in historically large PV markets like Germany, Italy and Spain…

 

Romania overshoots target for renewable energy – (Balkans) The share of electricity produced through renewable sources reached a level of 41 percent in 2013, overshooting the target of 38 pct assumed by Romania for 2020, according to a document from the Department of Energy quoted by Agerpres…

 

How Romania Became a Gigawatt-Scale Solar Market and What’s Next – (GreenTechSolar) The rise and fall of Romania’s solar market is another example of the old forces dictating solar demand…

 

SDDE: in Heating, We Should Use Waste Heat – (Energetika) Put into effect on 22 March, the new Energy Act was Slovenia’s first piece of energy legislation to include district heating and cooling. What does the Energy Act bring specifically? Municipalities are getting…

 

Romania caps green energy quota to help large industrial firms – (Reuters) Romania's government capped the amount of renewable energy that large industrial consumers must buy this year in a move to help offset their high energy costs and stave off the threat of job cuts ahead of elections later this year…

 

Bulgaria: OMV Sees Gas Potential in Black Sea; Fuel Could be Found in Deep Part of Asparouh Block – (Energetika) In mid-2012, a consortium of the French Total (40%), OMV (30%), and Spain's Repsol (30%) won the bid and were entitled to five years’ research in Asparouh. After signing the agreement the union gave a prelimina…

 

General Electric wants to work on RES projects in Romania – (Energetika) “The investments in the countries in Southeast Europe depend on whether a project is the right one. Wherever our customers go, wherever they want to develop projects, we are happy to work with them,” Harris to...


Serbia

 

Deal for Five New Small Hydro Power Plants Signed in Vranje, Serbia – (Energetika) The deal is a result of an agreement signed earlier between the Serbian and Italian governments, and activities have been under way since December 2011.Zoran Antić, a representative of Vranje, also signed a coo...

 

Fintel Energia Receives Erste Bank Loan for Serbian Wind Project – (Bloomberg) Fintel Energia Group SpA, an Italian developer of clean-energy projects, received a loan from Erste Group Bank AG to build a wind farm in Serbia. Fintel won a 12-year loan totaling 14.2 million euros ($19.5 million), it said in a statement. The developer will provide equity to cover 30 percent of the project costs.

 

HPP Piva No Longer Point of Cooperation between Serbian and Montenegrin Power Utilities – (Energetika) With a power capacity of 3 x 114 MW, the facility was used within the EPS system as a peaking power plant as well as to balance the hydro power plants on the lower Drina river: HPP Višegad, HPP Bajina Bašta, an...

 

Hurdles for Serbia’s Market Opening – (Energetika) total of 2,509 customers connected to the medium-voltage network signed energy supply contracts with their suppliers. Others seem not to have taken the changes seriously, and many have not even understood wha...

 

Elektroprivreda Srbije in Vicious Circle – (Energetika) With this statement, Obradović suggested his hands were tied – in order to be able to act, he has to wait for the decision of the Serbian Government to turn EPS from a public enterprise to a joint-stock company...

 

Greenhouse Gas Emissions a Major Issue in Serbia – (Energetika) According to Energy Coordinator at CEKOR Zvezdan Kalmar, the energy sector is to blame for a large portion of pollution caused by CO2 emissions in Serbia, the level of which per capita is among the highest in E...


Armenia

 

Foreign businessmen think of locating energy production in Armenia: President – (ArmenPress) The gas tariff supplied to Armenia is the lowest that Russia provides to any country.  The President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan stated about it during the consultation held in the Ministry of Energy…

 

Design life of Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant’s existing energy block in Armenia extended ti – (Trend) The Armenian government made a decision to extend the design life of the energy block of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant until 2016. The Armenian Finance Ministry was instructed to take measures to sign an agreement with the Russian government to draw loans for the programme's implementation…

 

European Commission urges Armenia to close Metsamor NPP – (Azernews) The European Commission (EC) has called Armenia to work towards the earliest possible closure of the Metsamor nuclear power plant.  It was stated in the report on Armenia's implementation of the plan on the European Neighbourhood Programme in 2013…

 

Armenia's nuclear plant to run for another decade – (Turkish Press) The Armenian government has decided to run the 'physically and technically outdated' Metsamor nuclear reactor for another 10 years, according to local media in Armenia.  The Metsamor nuclear power plant, which started operating in 1980, is located 16 kilometers away from Turkey's border, and continues to produce about 40 percent of Armenia's electricity. However, Turkey and Azerbaijan object to its existence as they believe it does not meet international safety standards…

 

Government reaffirms extension of service life of Armenian nuclear power plant by 10 years – (ARKA) Armenian energy and natural resources minister Armen Movsisyan has denied today media reports alleging that the government had given up plans to build a new nuclear power plant to replace the aging Metsamor facility…

 

Armenia denies plans to abandon nuclear power plant project – (BNE) The Armenian government on March 27 sought to squash speculation that it could drop a project to expand its nuclear power plant, but admitted it is having trouble raising the cash.  Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan rejected recent reports questioning Yerevan's commitment to the project to replace the Soviet-era Metsamor plant. However, he acknowledged that Yerevan is…


Azerbaijan

 

The Crimean Crisis and the Energy Ramifications for Azerbaijan – (Eurasianet) The Kremlin’s partition of Crimea from Ukraine has put other states along Russia’s “near abroad” on edge. But while most of Russia’s neighbors seem to be worried about becoming Vladimir Putin’s next target, one state, Azerbaijan, stands to benefit, at least over the longer term, from the sudden turn of events…

 

Azerbaijan approves rules for improving energy efficiency at construction facilities – (Trend) The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers approved new rules of energy efficiency at construction facilities and saving of energy resources. The new rules cover the following parameters: buildings and structures included in the list of cultural…

 

'EU`s choosing Azerbaijan as main energy source positive factor for Malta too' – (NewsAZ) Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat has said the European Union`s choosing Azerbaijan as the main energy source is a positive factor for his country too…

 

Azerbaijan’s power generation at hydroelectric power plants falls but keeps at 3.5% of total power generation – (ABC.AZ)  The State Statistics Committee reports that the hydropower plant crisis which started in Azerbaijan in 2012 is only increasing in 2014.  The Committee informs that power generation at hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) reached only 141 million kWh for Jan-Feb 2014…

 

Thermal power plants increase electricity production – (Azernews) Thermal power plants (TPP) produced 3.88 billion kilowatt/hours of the total volume of electricity generated in the first two months of 2014.  The news was announced by the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee on March 18.  The figure is 4.8 percent more than the same period in 2013…

 

Astara TPP generates over 2.5 billion kWh of electricity during operation – (Trend) The Astara thermal power station generated about 2.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity from its commissioning in 2006 to March 1, 2014, Azerenergy (generation and distribution of electricity in Azerbaijan) said on March 27…

 

Does Declining Oil Revenue Equal Less Security for Azerbaijan? – (ISN) Declining oil revenues and a changing energy marketplace are placing Azerbaijan's social and economic development under strain. Worse still, observes Eric Eissler, the lost income might curtail the country's defense spending at a time when Baku needs it most…

 

Oil and gas production forms almost 95 percent of Azerbaijan’s export in 2013 – (Trend) Azerbaijan exported around $30.7 billion worth of oil and oil products in 2013 or 5.6 percent less compared to 2012, according to the balance of payments published by the country's Central Bank…

 

Oil, gas account for 95% of Azerbaijan’s export in 2013 – (Oil & Gas) Azerbaijan exported around $30.7 billion worth of oil and oil products in 2013 or 5.6 percent less compared to 2012, according to the balance of payments published by the country's Central Bank, Trend reported on March 25…


Georgia

 

Powering Lagos: Lessons from Georgia – (Business Day) Sabotage, endemic corruption, theft, cabals, incompetence and deteriorating infrastructure were some of the challenges facing the electricity industry before it was privatised. The country was Georgia in the 1990s.  Less than 30 percent of Georgians paid their electricity bills, assuming power supply was regular. Corruption networks, an “energy mafia…

 

Electricity consumption increases in Georgia in Jan-Feb. – (Trend) Electricity consumption in Georgia excluding losses, amounted to 1.815.59 billion kilowatt/hours in Jan-Feb. 2014, which is five percent more than in the same...

 

Azerbaijan provides over 80 percent of Georgia’s gas imports – (Trend) Georgia imported 368,560 tons of natural gas in oil equivalent worth $76.06 million in Jan.-Feb. 2014, GruzStat, the National Statistical Service of Georgia said...

 

Georgia notes importance of Southern Gas Corridor project’s development – (Azernews) Energy markets often fall under a certain political influence which in turn leads to geopolitical instability.  Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze made the remark at the opening of the 13th Georgian International Oil, Gas, Infrastructure and Energy Conference…

 

Georgia interested in developing Southern Gas Corridor – (Vestnik Kavkaza) Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kalandze said at the 13th International Oil, Gas, Infrastructure and Energy Conference that energy markets were often subject to political influence causing geopolitical instability, Trend reports…

 

SOCAR continues gasification of Georgian regions – (Trend) The Georgian Energy Minister, Kakha Kaladze together with representatives of the Azerbaijani company SOCAR Georgia Gas opened a new gas pipeline in Surami and lit symbolic torch in the center of the village.  SOCAR Georgia Gas constructed a gas pipeline with the length of 14.5 kilometers in Surami village (Khashuri district, eastern Georgia), and now 980 potential subscribers will be able to connect to the gas network…

 

Georgia begins construction on two sections of main east/west gas pipeline – (The Messenger Online) A 20-kilometre section of the 700- millimeter Gori-Kareli pipeline and a 23 - kilometer section of a 700- millimeter Zestafoni - Kutaisi pipeline are being constructed in Georgia as part of the fourth phase of building the main East-West gas pipeline funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)…

 


Moldova

 

Moldova-U.S. working group on energy met in Chisinau –  (Hydroworld) The members of the working group between Moldova and the United States have held the first working group meeting in Chisinau on March 24.  They exchanged opintions on the implementation of the energy strategy of Moldova and the future priorities, IPN reports.  Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iulian Groza told a news conference that the working group is an essential part of the Moldova - U.S. strategic dialugue that was launched in Washington at the start of this month, during Prime Minister Iurie Leanca's visit to the United States...

    


Turkey

 

UTSDA supports Turkish stream power feasibility study – (Hydroworld) The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a US$669,875 grant to Turkey's Electricity Generation Company (EUAS) to feasibility studies for a 17 MW hydrokinetic power project.  Working with New York-based marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) developer Verdant Power and Virginia-based consulting group Ko-Tech, the study will evaluate the use of MHK near the Seyhan project near Adana…

 

41 new electricity stations on line in 2014 in Turkey – (Turkish Press) Forty-one new electricity power stations were put on line in the first two months of 2014 in Turkey according to officials from Turkey's energy ministry. The new stations added 507 megawatts (MW) to Turkey's production capacity, bringing it to a total of 64,483 MW according to official statistics…

 

U.S. grants Turkish electricity generator $670,000 – (Turkish Press) The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has awarded a $670,000 grant to Turkey’s largest power generator to help expand its capacity, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara has announced.  The grant will fund a feasibility study to help the Electricity Generation Company (EUAS) determine the viability of a 17-megawatt hydrokinetic power project for the Seyhan hydropower plant near Adana…

 

Asunim successfully commissions Turkish solar PV plant– (Renewable Energy Magazine) The ground-mounted 250kWp system in Sanliurfa province, in south eastern Turkey, is owned by Odaş Enerji and will save the company approximately one million euros in costs. It incorporates state-of-the-art solar panels and inverters and remote control and monitoring provides system performance parameters on a daily basis…

 

Turkish envoy promises solar energy plants to Lakki Marwat – (Dawn) Turkish ambassador Sadeq Babar Girgin has expressed interest in establishing solar energy plants in the backward district to rid the local people of loadshedding and run tube-wells for both irrigation and drinking purposes…

 

President: Nuclear energy a must for Turkey – (Trend) Turkey needs nuclear power plants (NPP) to diversify its energy resources as its economy grows rapidly, Turkey's President said Tuesday, Anadolu Agency reported…

 

Nuclear energy a must for Turkey, says President – (World Bulletin) Turkey needs nuclear power plants (NPP) to diversify its energy resources as its economy grows rapidly, Turkey’s President said Tuesday.  “Turkey’s legislations and applications about nuclear security are developing,” Abdullah Gul said a Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in The Hague…

 

Turkey: New Opportunity For The Turkish Energy Market: The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Fields – (Mondaq) The high economic growth of Turkey which has been going on for more than a decade now intensified Turkey's need for more energy. It is estimated that Turkey is going to need a substantial volume of energy which will amount to a 7 % annual growth for the Turkish energy market until the year 2023…

 

Turkey sees its energy imports rise – (Trend) Turkey's energy imports increased by 2.7 percent in 2012 to 74.3 percent of which only 10 percent was from renewable sources, according to TurkStat, the Turkish statistical authority Anadolu Agecny reported…

 

Turkey ‘earns $12 billion’ from Baku pipeline – (Daily News) The Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) has earned $12 billion from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) crude oil pipeline since 2005, when oil from Baku was first pumped, Turkish Minister of Energy Taner Yıldız has said…

 

Bulgaria and Turkey sign MOU on gas interconnection – (Balkans) Memorandum of construction of gas interconnection, between Bulgaria and Turkey, is signed


Ukraine

 

Power Is Restored Across Crimean Peninsula– (New York Times) Electricity was restored on Tuesday to cities across the disputed Crimean Peninsula following power failures a day earlier, and both Russian and regional officials said they were taking steps to limit Crimea’s vulnerability to any cutoff in services by the Ukrainian government...

 

Loss of Crimea shrinks Ukrainian energy hopes – (Turkish Press) The loss of Crimea and its rich natural resources on the shores of the Black Sea could be a blow for Ukraine’s economic development as well as its energy security, experts have said.  While Ukraine consumed 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2013 -- nearly 60 percent of it imported from Russia -- between 5 and 10 trillion cubic meters of gas lie in reserves in Crimea’s offshore fields, according to Ukrainian government figures…

 

Crimea Besieged by Ukraine Control of Power, Water – (ABC News) Within days of Crimea being swallowed up by Russia, the lights began flickering out.  Officials in the peninsula accused Ukraine of halving electricity supplies in order to bully Crimea, which voted earlier this month in a referendum to secede and join Russia…

 

Kiev Blamed for Blackout in Capital of Crimea – (New York Times) A power failure plunged much of the Crimean capital, Simferopol, into darkness on Monday, the second partial blackout in two days, as the Ukrainian government in Kiev appeared to retaliate against Russia’s occupation and annexation of the peninsula by sharply cutting electricity supplied from the mainland…

 

Power outages hit Crimea, local utility blames Ukrainian provider – (Reuters) Parts of Crimea were hit by power outages late on Sunday and the regional power company blamed them on technical problems in a power line from the Ukrainian mainland to the Black Sea peninsula, which has been wrestled away from Kiev by Moscow…

 

Power line accidents reduce energy supply from Ukraine to Crimea – (RT) Electricity supply to Crimea has been reduced by half and the region is experiencing rotating blackouts following two accidents on power lines coming from Ukraine, Crimea’s energy company says…

 

Ukraine cuts Crimea's electricity by half – (Turkish Press) The Autonomous Republic of Crimea – Electricity to Crimea from Ukraine was cut by 50 percent, leaving major cities such as Yalta and Sevastopol without electricity on Sunday night, said Crimean Vice President Rustem Temirgaliev on Monday…

 

Crimea slams Ukraine for cutting electricity supplies – (Press TV) Crimean officials have denounced Ukraine for cutting electricity supplies to the Black Sea peninsula by half in an attempt to bully the region following a secession referendum…

 

Russia aims to end Crimea's reliance on Ukraine for electricity – (Reuters) Moscow plans to end Crimea's reliance on Ukraine for electricity by helping to build gas-fired power stations and possibly linking the region to Russia's grid, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday…

 

Ukraine cuts volume of electricity supplies to Crimea by 50% - official – (The Voice of Russia) The Ukraine has cut the volume of electricity supplies to the Crimea by 50%, Crimean First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev said. After the power reduction, The Crimean Electric Power System carried out scheduled rolling blackouts in keeping with rules of procedure…

 

Ukraine to continue supporting solar energy feed-in tariff in Crimea– (Hydrogen Fuel News) Country opts to continue providing support to solar projects in annexed region. Ukraine has been the subject of much attention recently due to an ongoing struggle with Russia. In recent months, Russian forces moved to occupy and annex the Crimea region…

 

 

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