Europe & Eurasia Energy News Articles for October 30, 2014
Weekly collection of energy news articles for the region
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November 3, 2014 USAID/USEA Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative Transmission System Planning Project (SECI) Group Meeting Skopje, Macedonia
Albania
Albania hints at common energy market with Kosovo – (Dtt-Net) Albanian government says it’s working on ‘harmonizing’ energy resources with Kosovo, aimed at creating a common energy area and market between the two neighbouring countries…
Public Consultation on Auction Rules for Capacity Allocation in SEE CAO – (Energetika) The Auction Rules for capacity allocation in SEE CAO will be obligatory for all the electricity market participants who will participate in the capacity allocation auctions, ERE explained. The rules are available…
The Albanian Ministry of Energy and Industry in partnership with IRN, announce the launch of the Albania Oil, Gas & Energy 2015 Summit – (PR Web) Albania, one of the oldest and most consistent oil and gas producers in Europe, is now ready for the next licensing round with 13 available oil and gas Blocks to allocate. IRN and the Ministry of Energy and Industry of Albania have thus partnered to launch the inaugural senior level platform for discussions…
Albania Fights Power Theft – (Energetika) The plan is the product of collaboration and coordination between a number of institutions, which will be led by the Distribution Company and the State Police, the PM’s website explains.During the meeting…
Bulgaria
Bulgaria’s Pamporovo resort, 9 villages without electricity – (Focus) Bulgaria’s Pamporovo mountain resort and nine villages in the district of Smolyan were left without electricity supply because of the rain, the district power distribution company announced for Radio FOCUS…
Emergency situation in Bulgaria starts to normalise but 16,000 households remain without electricity and heating – (Standart) The emergency situation in Bulgaria began to normalise, yet still more than 16,000 households remain in the dark and cold because of the snow. Dozens of villages are still without electricity in Gabrovo and Veliko Tarnovo as a result of accidents in the grid. Roads in the area are open. Difficulties were created by some broken branches from due to the heavy snow…
State of emergency in Bulgaria’s Gabrovo remains – (Focus) State of emergency in the Bulgarian town of Gabrovo remains. Mayor Tanya Hristova announced the information speaking for FOCUS News Agency. The mayor explained that 15 settlements in the municipality and two residential quarters in the town of Gabrovo were without electricity…
Bulgaria to Develop Electricity Market – (Energetika) The following main objectives are planned to be achieved as a result of project implementation: Further development of the Bulgarian electricity market through the implementation of a new segment…
In Bulgaria, Public Discussion on Draft Energy Law – (Energetika) To ensure the independence of the regulator's decision making, the law should state that the regulator does not have to seek or take direct instructions from any government or other public or private entity…
Bulgaria’s energy minister: Reduced pressure in gas supply no cause for concern – (The Sofia Globe) There is no reason for concern because of the reduced pressure in supply to Bulgaria’s gas transmission network in the past week, with unofficial information suggesting that the problem is a technical one and should be resolved in a week. This is according to Bulgaria’s caretaker Energy Minister Vassil Shtonov, speaking on October 29, a day after Deputy Prime Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said pressure in the gas pipe was lower but the country was still receiving regular gas supplies…
Bulgarian Deputy PM for EU Energy Alliance – (Energetika) According to her, so far Bulgaria had done little in terms of diversification of gas supplies. Therefore, the priority of the caretaker government was building interconnectors with neighboring countries, because…
Bulgaria’s Energy Board to hold sitting – (Focus) Energy Board with the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy and Energy is to hold a sitting on Thursday, the press office of the Bulgarian Government announced. The sitting will take place at the Council of Ministers and is scheduled to start at 3 p.m…
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia’s 8-mo electricity output totals 9,704 GWh – (SeeNews) Bosnia’s net electricity output totalled 9,704 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the first eight months of 2014, data of the country's statistics office showed on Wednesday…
Russian gas flows to Bosnia down by a third since Wednesday – (Reuters) Bosnia's gas flows from Russia were down by a third from requested volumes since Wednesday, distributor BH Gas said on Thursday, as the country faces rising demand because of falling temperatures and an overnight snow storm that caused power cuts…
Croatia
From the EU Summit: Croatia Is OK with its Renewables Share – (Energetika) The Croatian Prime Minister also seemed satisfied with Croatia’s point on the industrial technology. But talking about the coal power plant Plomin he said that the country needed this power plant to diversify…
Croatia: Lower Electricity Rates Open Door to Competition; Clash of Opinions about Market Development – (Energetika) “In European homes, the cost of energy accounts on average for 2.8% of total household costs; in Croatia it accounts for 4%. Meanwhile, growing investment in networks and incentives for renewables are pushing…
Vrdoljak: Croatia's gas supply is secure – (Dalje) Croatia's gas supply would be secure even if a crisis in the supply of Europe with Russian gas broke out, Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak told an energy forum in Zagreb on Tuesday. "In the event of a disruption of delivery from Russia, Croatia has a stable situation even at very low temperatures," Vrdoljak told the forum, entitled "Between Market and Security", organised by the Poslovni Dnevnik business daily…
Croatia Pins Its Hopes on LNG Terminal – (Energetika) “We should strive for an efficient regional energy industry, and gas supply, more specifically liquefied natural gas (LNG) via a LNG terminal, can help us achieve that. It could be gas from Qatar, the U.S. or…
Croatia’s Ministry: We’re Doing What We Can to Save INA and Country’s Energy Stability – (Energetika) The state has decided to analyse all the possibilities regarding MOL’s announcement to sell its stake in INA and Hungarian company’s unrealised investment plans in the joint energy company.The ministry claims…
Croatia interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan in energy sector (PHOTO) – (Trend) Croatia is interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan in the energy sector because it plays an important role in ensuring the energy security of Europe. The Principal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Croatia, Vesna Pusic made the remarks at the meeting…
Kosovo
USAID Allocates EUR 9.4 Million for Clean Energy Projects in Kosovo – (Energetika) REpower Kosovo is ʺa multifaceted five-year activity that will support the Government of Kosovo’s continued efforts to modernise the country’s electricity sector and open the door to new clean energy projects…
Kosovar TSO Begins Negotiations with ENTSO-E – (Energetika) The agreement will cover, among other things, issues related to congestion management, pan-European Inter-TSO Compensation (ITC), and the application of European standards for the operation of the transmission…
Macedonia
Macedonia’s power consumption falls 5.3% y/y in Aug – (SeeNews) Macedonia’s electricity consumption fell 5.3% on the year to 602,178 megawatt-hours (MWh) in August, data from the country's statistics office indicated on Friday…
BRUSSELS PRESSURES MACEDONIA NOT TO DO BUSINESS WITH RUSSIA ON SOUTH STREAM PROJECT – (Eurasia Review) Brussels has been unable to influence EU member Austria from its cooperation on South Stream with Russia, so instead has tuned its focus now on Macedonia, not an EU member…
Macedonia Warned about South Stream; Hungary Pushing the Project Forward – (Energetika) According to EUobserver, Janez Kopač added comments to the Brussels-based dtt-net.com news agency that “Macedonia will have to withdraw from the IGA [the South Stream accord] or renegotiate it if it wants to be…
Montenegro
Montenegro Will Strengthen its Energy Security – (Energetika) “We’re interested in energy security in Europe as well as in Montenegro, who as a natural resources rich country needs to strengthen its energy security – through the energy diversification…
Public Consultation on Auction Rules for Capacity Allocation in SEE CAO – (Energetika) The Auction Rules for capacity allocation in SEE CAO will be obligatory for all the electricity market participants who will participate in the capacity allocation auctions, ERE explained. The rules are available…
Romania
Romania, among nine countries to achieve EU’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by 2020 – (Romania-Insider) Countries in the European Union could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 24% by 2020, 4% over the set target, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). Romania is among the countries that are on track of achieving the set targets of 20%, reports AFP, cited by local Mediafax…
Electricity produced by Cernavoda nuclear reactors is essential for Romania – (Balkans) Electricity produced by the nuclear reactors in Cernavoda, south-eastern Romania, is essential for Romania, in keeping with the draft energy strategy for up until 2035. Currently, units 1 and 2 of the power plant in Cernavoda are operational, using CANDU technology. Units 3 and 4 are planned to be finalized by 2019 and 2020 respectively, while reactor 5 is under conservation…
Absolute Record of Participation in Romanian Day-Ahead Market – (Energetika) On that day 165 companies submitted at least one offer and settled transactions.Read Also: CZ-SK-HU-RO Market Coupling to Go Live on 19 instead of 11 November…
Romanian PM seeks energy independence by 2019 – (Shanghai Daily) Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta said on Thursday that the country should have enough gas by 2019 both for itself and neighboring Moldova, if the exploitation begins soon in the Black Sea…
Romania with Big Gas Infrastructure Plans – (Energetika) According to Iliescu, Transgaz will first work on interconnections with the neighbouring countries, beginning with Hungary. The whole project should start in 2016 and will be worth 500 million euros…
Black Sea gas to be transported only by Transgaz - Romanian president – (ACT Media) Romania's President Basescu stated that the natural gas to be extracted from the Black Sea will be transported only via the national transport system (NTS) operated by Transgaz. The president ruled out any chance that Romanian gas will flow through the South Stream pipeline, which will cross Bulgarian territory, bypassing Romania…
Romania's natural gas stands at one billion cubic meters above the legal requirements for the cold season – (ACT Media) Romania's natural gas inventory currently stands at 2.8 billion cubic meters, one billion cubic meters above the legal requirements for the cold season, Minister-delegate for Energy Razvan Nicolescu said on Friday in Deva…
Serbia
Oldest Block of Nikola Tesla TPP Successfully Reconnected to Serbia’s Grid – (Energetika) According to the Nikola Tesla TPP’s webpage, the capital works on the machinery, which had operated for 44 years and did more than 280,000 working hours, included also an estimation of the remaining working…
Stable Electricity and Coal Production in Kostolac, Serbia – (Energetika) From the beginning of 2014 to 22nd October, the power output from Kostolac totalled 3,275,240 MWh of electricity, just few percent below the plan.Kostolac A TPP director Radovan Bogdanović said that after the…
Nikola Tesla TPP Buying Coal for Upcoming Winter Season – (Energetika) The advantage of procurement of imported coal is safety in case of a gas crisis in Ukraine, disturbances in the electricity market and suspension of electricity supplies that are already contracted as a result…
Serbia Adopts New Rules for Power Market Functioning – (Energetika) According to AERS’s website, with these amendments, the Rules of Procedure for the electricity market are compliant with the Energy Law, the regulation on the conditions of supply and electricity supply, and…
Agreement on District Heating System in Serbia Signed – (Energetika) The contract relates to the program "Rehabilitation of the District Heating System in Serbia - Phase IV" / "Design and construction works on installation of boiler for heating plants Knjaževac, Leskovac,Negotin…
Armenia
Gazprom ships 1.343 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia in January September, up 5.5% year-on-year – (ARKA) Russian Gazprom has shipped 1.343 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Armenia in January-September this year, an increase of 5.5% from the same time span last year, Gazprom Armenia said today…
Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations gets diesel generator – (PanArmenian) As part of its support program for the development of key national infrastructure, VivaCell-MTS gifted a diesel generator to Armenia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations…
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey energy bridge project to contribute to development of Black Sea electric power circle – (Azer Tac) Georgian Deputy Minister of Energy Mariam Valishvili has stressed the importance of Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey Energy Bridge project, saying it will contribute to the development of Black Sea electric power circle. “Georgia will be a transit country in this project,” she told the 13th Energy Investment and Regulation Conference of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) in Baku…
ERRA chief: Azerbaijan is an energy corridor between Europe and Asia – (Azer Tac) Chairman of Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) Alparslan Bayraktar has hailed Azerbaijan`s importance in terms of energy security. “Along with Georgia and Turkey, Azerbaijan plays the role of an energy corridor between Europe and Asia,” he told ERRA`s annual conference in Baku…
Azerbaijan to continue to increase electricity production – (Trend) Volumes of electricity production in Azerbaijan reached 26.26 billion kilowatt hours in 2018, compared to about 21.75 billion kilowatt hours, projected for 2014…
Baku hosts ERRA conference – (Azernews) The 13th annual Investments and Energy Regulations Conference of the Energy Regulators Regional Association kicked off in Baku on October 27. Addressing the event, ERRA Chairman Alparslan Bayraktar hailed Azerbaijan's importance in terms of energy security. "Azerbaijan plays the role of an energy corridor between Europe and Asia together with Georgia and Turkey," he said…
Baku hosts 13th ERRA Energy Investment and Regulation Conference – (Azer Tac) The 13th Energy Investment and Regulation Conference of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) has today kicked off in Baku. Some 200 experts from more than 30 countries participated in the conference…
Azerbaijan aims at diversifying energy generation sources – (Trend) Azerbaijan intends to put into operation power generating capacity of 2,400 megawatts by 2020, Deputy Head of Energy Department of the Energy Ministry Asaf…
Azerbaijan prepares for mass production of energy-efficient light sources – (Trend) The light-emitting diode (LED) mass production can be deployed on the basis of the Ganja aluminum plant and the Sumgait solar panel plant, the Research…
Azerbaijan started to calculate index of buildings energy efficiency – (ABC.AZ) Baku hosts the XIII annual Conference of Investments and Energy Regulation of the Energy Regulation Regional Association (ERRA). At the Conference, Valeh Nasibov, Department Manager of the Azerbaijan’s Scientific-Research and Design Institute, presented calculations of the buildings energy efficiency index…
ERRA chairman: “Transportation of Azerbaijani gas to European markets is one of our significant objectives” – (APA) Access of countries like Azerbaijan, which have natural gas reserves, to Europe is one of our significant objectives, chairman of the Energy Regulators Regional Association (ERRA) Alparslan Bayraktar told journalists…
Azerbaijan oil production output to drop next year – (Penn Energy) The Azerbaijan government estimates oil production may decrease in 2015, continuing declines seen this year, Reuters reported. Oil output may be reduced by 2.5 percent in 2015 compared to this year…
Georgia
Power line linking Georgia, Azerbaijan upgraded – (Azernews) Georgia's Vice Prime Minister and Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze, director general of GruzRosenergo JSC Romeo Mikautadze, representatives of the government and energy companies familiarized themselves with the reconstruction work on the 330-kilowatt Gardabani power line…
Power line linking Georgia, Azerbaijan is reconstructed – (Trend) Vice Prime Minister of Georgia and Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze, director general of GruzRosenergo JSC Romeo Mikautadze, representatives of the government and energy companies familiarized themselves with the rehabilitation work on 330-kilowatt Gardabani power line…
Prospects for WB’s participation in Georgia’s energy projects discussed – (Trend) Georgian Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri has meet with a delegation of the World Bank led by the bank’s energy sector manager Ranjit Lamech, Georgian Finance Ministry said on Oct.27. During the meeting, the sides discussed the energy and infrastructure projects and the prospects for WB’s participation in them…
Georgian power system able to supply up to 700 MW electricity to Turkey – (Trend) New power transmission lines constructed in Georgia as part of the transmission line to Turkey, Georgia's Deputy Minister of Energy Mariam Valishvili told…
Azerbaijan ensures over 80% of Georgia’s import of gas – (Trend) Georgia imported 958,320 metric tons of natural gas in oil equivalent worth $198.99 million from Azerbaijan in January-September 2014, the Georgian National…
Moldova
Competition of Eco-responsible Companies and Ideas has been launched within the National Contest “Moldova Eco-Energetica” – (AEE) The Award Competiton of Eco-responsible Companies advancing innovative and efficient technologies and the Fair for Funding the Eco-responsible Project Ideas in the area of Renewables and Energy Efficiency were launched on 28 October 2014…
Turkey
OVER $200 MLN SAVED BY TURKEY THROUGH DAYLIGHT SAVINGS – (Daily Sabah) Turkey saved more than US$200 million through daylight savings in seven months, Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said in Ankara on Friday. Yıldız announced that Turkey saved 1.7 billion kilowatt-hours of energy throughout the country through daylight savings…
Turkey to save USD 200 mln during winter time clock – Yildiz – (KUNA) Turkey will save USD 200 million and 1.7 billion kilowatts per hour (kWh) when clock change to winter time, due next Sunday until March 31, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said Friday. "Saving energy is an important and decisive thing to us," Yildiz said in a statement, noting the country would change the time when winter came…
Turkish domestic users pay 51% more than industry for electricity – (SeeNews) Domestic consumers pay half as much again for electricity than business consumers, said the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat) on Wednesday…
IS TURKEY ENTERING AN ENERGY BOTTLENECK? – OPED – (Eurasia Review) In the coming days, we will be seeing new developments in Turkey’s energy markets and should therefore make upfront predictions to develop appropriate strategies. We have very serious problems in our natural gas supply…
Turkey: Present And Future Of Renewable Energy Resources Support Mechanism In Turkey: "YEKDEM" – (Mondaq) Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority ("EMRA") has announced on 1st October 2014 that the electricity manufacturing license holders producing electricity from renewable resources are required to submit their applications for Renewable Energy Resources Support…
Survey: Exporters' primary concern rising energy costs – (Cihan) Rising energy costs were the biggest complaint among Turkish exporters, according to a recent poll conducted by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM)…
Mine collapses in Turkey, trapping 18 workers – (Deutsche Welle) Six months after the worst mining catastrophe in Turkey's history, another mine has collapsed, stranding workers underground. Rescue operations have begun, but no one has managed to reach the miners…
NEW OBSTACLES HINDER RESCUE EFFORTS, ENERGY MINISTER SAYS – (Daily Sabah) Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız, Transportation Minister Lütfi Elvan and Labor Minister Faruk Çelik on Thursday have evaluated the current situation of rescue efforts for 18 miners who are trapped underground in Karaman and noted that hopes are diminishing…
Energy trade to dominate Russian-Turkish meeting tomorrow – (FG) The Russian-Turkish intergovernmental session will gather in Moscow next week, Turkish Ambassador in Moscow Umit Yardim has confirmed. “Energy is one of the vitally important sectors. Natural resources that Turkey purchases in Russia are the most part of our trade turnover. We continue relations in this field, not only on natural gas and nuclear energy,” he said…
Ukraine
EBRD arranges financing package of EUR 14 million to improve district heating in Lutsk – (EUEA) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) and the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) are providing further resources to modernise district heating systems in Ukraine, which account for 20 per cent of the country’s total CO2 emissions and consume almost 44 per cent…
Ukraine gets €14m for district heating upgrades – (Energy Live News) District heating systems in Ukraine are to be modernised, thanks to a €14 million (£11m) investment. The cash will be used to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy losses and improve district heating services for almost 150,000 residents in the western municipality of Lutsk…
Ukraine Facing Harsh Winter Due To Coal Shortages – (Oil Price) On 22 October, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said that by the end of this year Ukraine will be 4 million tons short of coal. The deficit stems from the fact that 88 of the 93 Ukrainian mines operating in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, which together account for 70% of domestic production, are located in areas controlled by the militants…
Around 140,000 Donbas Residents Struggle Without Electricity: Minister – (Ria Novosti) Around 140,000 residents of southeastern Ukraine struggle without electricity, Fuel and Energy Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Alexei Granovsky stated Saturday…
Energy Resources of Ukraine interested in privatization of Centrenergo – (Kyiv Post) Energy Resources of Ukraine LLC is interested in the privatization of power generation company PJSC Centrenergo, company head Andriy Favorov has told reporters in Kyiv…
Yatseniuk, Klimkin discuss Ukraine's energy security with US senator – (Interfax-Ukraine) Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk on Tuesday held a meeting with U.S. Senator and Deputy Head of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee James Inhofe during which the sides discussed energy security and the strengthening of military cooperation, the Ukrainian government's press service has reported…
Viktor Sorokin: Moscow ready for dialogue with Kyiv on energy and transport – (Kyiv Post) Russia is ready for dialogue with Ukraine over key energy and transport issues, says Viktor Sorokin, the head of the Second CIS Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry…
European markets for electricity and gas remain very disturbed: EEMO – (Commodities Now) Capgemini, in partnership with the Research team at Natixis, CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre and Vaasa ETT today published the sixteenth edition of the European Energy Markets Observatory (EEMO) report. The study shows that in 2014, as in 2013, European markets for electricity and gas remain very disturbed notably with negative electricity prices on the wholesale markets…
Russian Energy Ministry confirms gas price for Ukraine – RIA – (Reuters) Ukraine will have to pay Russia $378 per 1,000 cubic metres in the fourth quarter of 2014 and $365 in the first quarter of next year, an official at Russia's Energy Ministry was quoted as saying on Thursday by RIA news agency…
Coal shortage leads Ukraine to South Africa – (World Bulletin) Pro-Russian separatists control more than half of the coal mines in eastern Ukraine, forcing the Ukrainian government to begin importing coal from South Africa. Ukraine agreed with South Africa to import one billion tons of coal till the end of the year, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry…
Ukraine considers wind curtailment – (Wind Power) The Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry said the government has already asked the country's project owner to curtail production between 23:00 to 7:00. According to an official explanation of the Ministry, operations of all wind farms in Ukraine is balanced with the operations of the country's thermal plants…
Europe Strives to Overcome Its Reliance on Russian Gas – (New York Times) In the early 1980s, the Reagan administration warned its West European allies about their growing dependence on Russian gas. The Europeans paid no heed…
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