Albania

Albania gets no bids for four hydro plants – (Reuters) Albania received no bids for four small but profitable hydro power plants on Friday because the potential buyers were not clear about how they would produce and sell the power…

Albania mulls reruning tenders for three HPP operators – (Hydro World) TIRANA (Albania), September 14 (SeeNews) - Albania is considering making a fresh attempt to sell the companies operating the hydro power plants (HPPs) Bistrica 1, Bistrica 2, Ulez and Shkopet after receiving no bids in their privatisation tenders, the energy ministry said on Friday…

Balkans drought fuel fear of repeat winter energy crisis – (Reuters) A second straight winter of blackouts and escalating energy prices is hanging over the Balkans as the driest weather in 40 years has depleted water levels and shows no signs of easing…

Bulgaria

Bulgaria may seek South Stream bargain with Russia – (Reuters) Bulgaria's prime minister said a Russian demand for 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) compensation for an abandoned nuclear project was "treacherous", and analysts said the row could obstruct plans for a Russian-backed gas pipeline…

Bulgarian energy minister: Neither of the two backup plans envisages compensation payment – (Focus) “Neither of the two backup plans envisages payment of compensations or construction of a power plant,” Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Delyan Dobrev said in an interview with bTV, commenting on the information that Russia…

Government Retro-Actively Slashes Renewable Energy Tariffs – (Publics) Putting to bqncruptcy billions of investments in renewables leads to high risk of banking crisis, the Bulgarian Wind Energy Association said..

 Petition on Bulgaria’s 2nd nuke plant in Glavnitsa manipulated: citizens – (Focus) Petition for calling a national referendum on Balene NPP project organised in the Northern town of Glavitsa, municipality of Silitra, was manipulated, local residents alarmed during the meeting between Bulgarian Interior Minister and Deputy Chairperson of the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CDEB), Tsvetan Tsvetanov, with members of the municipal structure of the party and the municipal leadership in the town, Radio FOCUS – Varna reported…

Warning after Bulgaria cuts wind farm tariffs – (WindPower) Energy regulator SWERC has decided to cut tariffs for all existing wind energy projects by ten per cent and those for solar even more, in a move Bulgarian wind energy association BGWEA says will push the majority of renewable energy projects into bankruptcy and could endanger the country's financial stability…

TANAP will go through both Bulgaria and Greece, says Turkish energy expert – (Balkans) The Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) will go through both Bulgaria and Greece, stated a Turkish energy expert Saturday…

Bosnia

Bosnia EPBiH extends bidding for 450 MW coal-fired unit – (Reuters) Bosnian power utility EPBiH has extended by two weeks to Sept. 28 the deadline for submission of non-binding bids for the construction of a 450 megawatt coal-fired unit at its Tuzla power plant…

Bosnian state energy company exports electricity through Rudnap Group – (Balkans) Net profit of Electric Industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina achieved in 2011 was almost four times lower than anticipated: instead of 6.5 million KM, as company director Elvedin Grabovica claimed, it turned out to be only 1.4 million KM…

Bosnia's Elektro Grupa issues EUR 511,300 bond to fund hydropower project – (Balkans) Bosnia's Elektro Grupa has offered investors on the Sarajevo bourse to subscribe for its BAM 1mn (EUR 511,300) bond, which is aimed at financing the construction of a small hydropower plant…

Croatia

Six bidders show interest in Croatia's 500-MW coal power plant construction and operation – (Balkans) Six companies expressed interest in becoming a partner of Croatia's state power utility HEP for the construction and operation of a 500-MW coal-fired thermal plant located in Plomin on the northern Adriatic Istrian peninsula, newswires reported…

Croatian subsidiary of Hungary’s MOL announces new oil discovery – (Portfolio) Croatian energy group INA has announced on Tuesday that it has made a new oil discovery with exploratory well Deletovci-1 Zapad within the oil field Privlaka near Vinkovci. The latest tests show daily oil production of around 600 bbl…

Kosovo

50,000 Kosovars Sign Petition Against PTK Sale – (Balkan Insight) The Alliance of Independent Unions of Kosovo, BSPK, said it had gathered 50,000 signatures for its petition opposing the privatization of the Post-Telecom of Kosovo, PTK, Kosovo Energy Company, KEK, and the Trepca mines…

Macedonia

FYR Macedonia will invest nearly 1.2 billion euros in the energy sector in the next 5 years – (Balkans) In the next five years, FYR Macedonia will invest nearly 1.2 billion euros in the energy sector. This is the amount needed to overhaul existing and to build new energy facilities, to establish energy cooperation with countries in the region and to fully implement the measures, activities and tasks included in the programme for the realisation of the Energy Development Strategy…

Improving energy efficiency for housing in FYR Macedonia's city Kumanovo – (Balkans) The USAID project Improving Energy Efficiency for the Low-Income Housing Sector is helping residents of low-income housing in Kumanovo to lower their energy consumption and costs, as well as to strengthen their homeowners associations…

Romania

Romania hikes regulated gas prices by 5-10% on higher distribution fees – (Power Engineering) End-user regulated natural gas prices in Romania have increased by 5% for households and by 10% for non-household consumers as of September 15 in order to allow distribution companies cover their rising fees, energy market regulator ANRE said in a statement. ANRE invoked that the distribution companies have not recovered their costs since 2009…

Incentivized green energy production allowed Romania to double its wind capacities last year – (Balkans) Incentivized green energy production allowed Romania to double its wind capacities last year to 982 MW and data suggests the same will happen this year, helped by foreign utilities that have flocked to increase their generation capacities locally, according to a report published last week by professional services firm TPA Horwath and law firm Schoenherr & Asociatii on the domestic renewable market…

Renewable energy in Romania: the answer is blowin’ in the wind – (Romania Insider) A new report suggests that wind energy has a bright future in Romania. Wind energy is developing around the world, but the pace is fastest in Europe, according to the TPA Horwath report on renewable energy…

Romania's electricity market operator OPCOM opens special trade floor for large power users – (Balkans) Romania's electricity market operator OPCOM discusses with the interested players the setup of a special platform designed for the large industrial end-users, Adevarul daily reported…

Wind energy capacity in Romania doubles in 2012 – (Romania Insider) TPA Horwath recently published its yearly report on „Wind energy and other renewable energy sources in Romania”, a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the renewable energy sector in România…

New biomass energy plant planned with EUR 41 mln investment in Cluj, Romania – (Romania Insider) Romanian-Italian energy firm Romita Energie Verde plans to invest around EUR 41 million in a biomass power plant in Cluj County…

Italian utility Enel connects the Moldova Noua wind farm in Romania to the grid – (Balkans) The renewable green arm of Italian utility Enel has connected the Moldova Noua wind farm in the Banat region of Romania to the grid, making the 48MW farm located south-west of the country fully operational…

Serbia

Serbia Appoints Former CEZ Representative to Lead Power Monopoly – (Bloomsberg Business Week) Serbia’s government appointed Aleksandar Obradovic, a former representative of Czech power utility CEZ AS in Belgrade, to head Elektroprivreda Srbije, Serbia’s electricity monopoly, a government spokesman said…

RWE agrees to strategic collaboration with Serbian energy utility EPS – (Equities) RWE and Serbian state-owned energy utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding over extensive collaboration on energy sector projects in Serbia…

Serbia’s EPS plans a new strategy for power market opening and electricity trading – (Balkans) The evaluation of EPS business capabilities in a liberalized market project is a part of the restructuring project: Preparing for competition and power market opening…

Serbia EPS shuts 270 MW hydro plant, fire threatens power line – (Financial Mirror) Serbia's power utility EPS shut down the 270 megawatt (MW) Djerdap 2 hydro power plant on the border with Romania on Monday as a fire threatened the 110 kilovolt line that feeds its electricity into the system, it said…

Balkans drought fuel fear of repeat winter energy crisis – (Reuters) A second straight winter of blackouts and escalating energy prices is hanging over the Balkans as the driest weather in 40 years has depleted water levels and shows no signs of easing…

Serbia utility, RWE eye $2.8 bln joint energy investments –govt – (Reuters) Serbia's power company and RWE , Germany's second largest utility, said they would sign a memorandum on Monday on joint energy projects and the Serbian government said these involved investment of 2.2 billion euros ($2.82 billion)…

Serbia Moves Closer to Power Deal Renewal With Germany’s RWE – (Bloomsburg Business Week) The Serbian government approved the signing of an agreement between state-owned Elektroprivreda Srbije and German utility RWE AG (RWE) as it seeks to increase power production capacity…

Good conditions for US investment in Serbia's telecommunications and energy sectors – (Balkans) Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic received on a farewell visit US Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick and said that she has given an important contribution to the development of bilateral relations between Serbia and the United States.;..

Armenia

Armenia interested in attracting private investments in energy sector – PM – (PanArmenian) Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with a German delegation led by Commit Group president Gerrit Schmitter…

Gas price not changed - Armenian Energy Minister - Gas price imported from Russia to Armenia has not changed, the Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan told the journalists following the Armenian-Turkmen inter-governmental commission session on Thursday…

Armenia close to signing Association Agreement with EU – NSC chief – (PanArmenian) By the end of 2013, Armenia will be close to signing Association Agreement with EU, National Security Council secretary said…

Armenian Government to increase its share in ''ArmRusGazard'' statutory capital – (ArmenPress) Armenian Government will undertake measures aimed at increasing the share of the Republic of Armenia in ''ArmRusGazrad'' company’s statutory capital. As Armenpress reports citing Government’s  official web site, the issue is included in the agenda of Executive’s September 6  session…

Armenia, Iran to put joint HPP into operation soon – (Panorama) The launch ceremony of a joint Armenian-Iranian hydroelectric power plant (HPP) over the Arax River is coming soon, with Armenian and Iranian high-ranking officials to be attending, announced Armenia’s ambassador to Iran, Grigor Arakelyan, according to ISNA…

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan ups electricity generation – (Trend) In January-August, Azerenergy (electricity generation and distribution in Azerbaijan) generated about 14.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity compared to about 13.2 billion kilowatt-hours during the same period of last year, Azerenergy said on Monday…

Azerbaijan’s power generation rose by 5.9% more in August – (ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Azerbaijani national energy producer Azerenerji OJSC increased generating power in August 2012 by 5.88% versus July…

Azerbaijan increases gas production – (Trend) Azerbaijan has produced about 29.41 million tons of oil and gas ... The country produced over 20 billion kilowatt / hours of electricity in 2011, ...

Azerbaijani MPs to discuss energy security in Europe – (Trend) Co-chairman of the Energy Security committee of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, MP Fuad Muradov will be in Brussels from 17th to 19th of September for the experts' seminar on energy security…

In 2012 oil and gas export of Azerbaijan reached $16.527 bn, including $13.9 bn at expense of AIOC – (ABC.AZ) Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan running payment balance statistics says of keeping dependence of the country’s foreign trade on fuel-energy complex over 2012…

Azerbaijani gas remains most profitable for Turkey – (News.AZ) Despite the increase in prices on natural gas that Turkey buys from Azerbaijan, today Azerbaijani gas remains most profitable for Turkey…

Profit of Azerbaijan’s national energy operator fell 4.7-fold – (ABC.AZ) The financial report of Azerenerji OJSC (national energy operator of Azerbaijan) the audit conclusion on which was given by company Deloitte has been published. Under the report, Azerenerji’s overall profit for 2011 fell by 4.7 times…

OPEC Keeps Azerbaijani Oil Production Forecast Unchanged – (Turkish Weekly) OPEC kept its forecast on Azerbaijani oil production unchanged at 0.96 million barrels per day (bpd) for 2012 and 2013…

Azerbaijan, Turkey brought together by energy, culture – (NewEurope) Turkey and Azerbaijan already brought together by the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) that will carry Azeri gas to Turkey and onto Europe, on 11 September further strengthened their co-operation by signing eight agreements in the fields of energy, transportation, diplomacy, economy and culture…

TANAP Project is Taking Shape – (Turkish Weekly) The Caspian Oil and Gas Conference was held in Baku, early in June. During the conference, the representatives of U.S. brought up the possibility of transiting Turkmen gas through the Trans-Anatolian Gas Pipeline (TANAP).

Georgia

SOCAR continues gasification of customers in Georgia – (Trend) SOCAR Energy Georgia, representing the interests of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) in Georgia from 2009 has linked up 138,470 subscribers, the Ministry of Energy of Georgia told Trend on Wednesday…

Georgian National Energy Commission comments on selling KazTransGas – Tbilisi company - Georgian National Energy Commission Chairman Guram Chalagashvili has made his first comment on the possible sale of KazTransGas - Tbilisi…

PM Georgia masters only 20 percent of energy potential – (Trends) Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili visited Dusheti and inspected the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the river Aragvi. Construction work on the White Aragvi began in April and will be completed in January next year…

Georgian FM Romania is part of Southern Energy Corridor – (Trends) Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze discussed the issues of the Southern Energy Corridor development in Romania…

Moldova

Russia tells ex-Soviet Moldova to turn back on EU energy deal – (Reuters) Russia will consider gas price cuts and debt relief for Moldova if the former Soviet republic renounces its energy agreement with the European Union, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on Wednesday…

"Moldova's European integration path does not mean worse relations with Russia," PM says – (BSANNA) Chisinau, September 17. /MOLDPRES/. Moldova's European integration path does not mean worse relations with Russia, Prime Minister Vlad Filat said during a TV talk show on 16 September…

Must we choose between gas and the EU? – (Press Europ) Caught between a desire to join the EU and the need to maintain good relations with Russia, on which it is totally energy-dependent, Moldova faces a cruel dilemma…

Russia urges Moldova to renounce EU energy deal – (Reuters) Russia told impoverished ex-Soviet Moldova on Wednesday to choose between low-priced gas from Russia and its pledge to adopt European energy liberalisation measures opposed by Moscow, which is girding for a conflict with Europe over gas… 

Russia

Russian gas:  Gazprom v upstarts – (Beyonbrics) Monopolies would not be monopolies  if they accommodated competition.

Russia-EU Gas Wars, Part 1 – (NewsEurope) Russian President Vladimir Putin said the European Commission’s investigation into Russian gas monopoly Gazprom pricing and supply practices in the EU didn't amount to a trade war with Europe…

Russia’s Rosatom Files 1 Billion-Euro Claim Against Bulgaria – (Bloomsberg Business Week) Rosatom Corp., Russia’s state-run nuclear company, increased a claim against Bulgaria’s National Electricity Co. to 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) for work on a canceled nuclear power plant project on the Danube…

Lada: 1st Russian-Built Electric Vehicle – (Clean Technica) A vehicle called “El Lada” is to be the first Russian-built electric vehicle. Renault and Nissan, which are sister companies, own 50% of Lada…

Putin Says Russia to Unite Electricity Grids in Europe, Asia – (Bloomberg) President Vladimir Putin said Russia plans to unite its power grids in Europe and Asia, which may lead to electricity exports to Asia, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vladivostok…

Power core: Infrastructure development in Far East key to energy sector – (RT) The Russian government should do more to attract investment in Russia and the country's Far eastern region, including spending government money on infrastructure, Andrei Kostin, the head of head VTB bank told RT…

EU energy chief hopes for smooth solution to Gazprom spat – (Reuters) The European Commission is holding intensive talks with Russia and expects to reach a compromise on a legal dispute between the bloc and its biggest gas provider, while avoiding disruption to energy supplies, the bloc's energy commissioner said on Monday…

Russia says gas price discounts to Ukraine possible only if its joins Moscow-led alliance – (Canadian Business) A top Russian official said Saturday Ukraine will continue paying a high price for natural gas imports unless it joins a Moscow-dominated alliance…

Turkey

Turkish minister: Azerbaijani gas remains most profitable for Turkey – (Trend) Turkey buys Azerbaijani gas at the lowest prices, the ZAMAN newspaper quotes Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz as saying on Monday…

Turkey to Start Importing Russian Gas Through Private Sector – (Turkish Weekly) Turkey will start importing Russian gas through the Turkish Kibar Holding by late September and through Akfel Gaz in early 2013, a source in the Turkish company Kibar Holding told Trend…

TANAP is Prime Example of Turkish Energy Sector Liberalization – (Turkish Weekly) The agreement on TANAP project, signed by Azerbaijan and Turkey, is a prime example of the liberalization of the Turkish energy market, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey told Trend on Friday…

Turkey says Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil flow resumed after blast – (Reuters) Oil flow through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline from Iraq to Turkey resumed at 1400 GMT on Sunday after being briefly halted by a blast, Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz said on Monday…

Turkish company finds natural gas in Black Sea. – (Anadolu Agency) Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz: Turkish Petroleum Corporation has found natural gas in Black Sea…

Turkey Ripe For Renewable Energy Boom – So Why The Delay? – (Green Prophet) With European countries having already tapped most of their low-hanging renewable energy development opportunities, Turkey is perfectly poised to become the new renewable energy dynamo in the region, according to an analysis published yesterday in the Financial Times‘s beyondbrics blog…

Next 2 decades are ‘about gas’ – (Daily News) Natural gas will take the lead in energy markets in the next two decades, according to Edward Chow, an instructor at the Elliott School for International Affairs at George Washington University…

Turkey does u-turn on trans-Caspian pipeline – (Asia Times)  Turkey is revisiting the trans-Caspian gas pipeline project after a decade-long hiatus. Ankara is now aligning with the European Union, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, supporting the transportation of Turkmenistan's gas to Turkey and onward to Europe…

Turkish plant finally may go back shortly: NAB finalises issues related to RPPs – (Business Recorder) The barge-mounted Turkish Rental Power Plant, which is lying idle for the last four months after the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision against rental power projects, is likely to go back to its home country as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has finalized issues related to rental plants…

Ukraine

Yatseniuk: Russia effectively controls Ukraine's energy market – (KyivPost) Ukraine's energy policy should be based on equal cooperation between Russia as a supplier, Ukraine as a transiting country, and the European Union as an energy consumer, Chairman of the Council of the Batkivschyna United Opposition Arseniy Yatseniuk has said…

Energy minister says evaluation of Ukraine's gas transport system will be completed within a month – (KyivPost) The evaluation of the assets of the Ukrainian gas transport system will be completed in three or four weeks, and then Ukraine will start preparing a model of gas transport consortium, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boiko has said…

Turkey to intensify cooperation with Ukraine in energy sphere – (KyivPost) Turkey is ready to intensify its cooperation with Ukraine in the energy sphere, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said…

Ukraine seeks to cut gas imports from Russia in 2013 – (Reuters) Ukraine, wanting to cut its dependence on expensive Russian natural gas, plans to reduce imports from the neighbouring country next year to 24.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) from 27 billion in 2012, a Ukrainian energy official said…

Ukraine transfers six thermal power plants from gas to coal – (Platts) Ukraine has completed converting six thermal power plants to allow them to use coal instead of natural gas for power and heat production, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Wednesday…

Russian Defense Ministry takes Ukraine to court over energy debt – (RAPSI) The Kiev Economic Court will hear on September 12 the Russian Defense Ministry's lawsuit against the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers for the recovery of $405 million in debt owed by the United Energy Systems of Ukraine (UESU), which was previously headed by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, the United State Register of Court Decisions of Ukraine has reported on Friday…

Power Cut Off at Ukrainian Water Utility – (Ooskanews) UKRAINE, KYIV — Power supply to the water utility in the central Ukrainian city of Cherkasy was cut off this month due to the company’s $620,000 USD debt to the electricity provider…

Guest post: Ukraine offers EU “closer collaboration” in energy – (Beyondbrics) Europe’s top priority is getting the economy back on track, and ensuring low-cost and stable energy supplies is an essential component…

Government calls for energy savings as Russia natgas price rise looms – (UkrainianJournal) KIEV, Sept. 13 - Ukraine will be forced to seriously conserve energy in the fourth quarter when Russia’s natural gas price increases to $432 per 1,000 cubic meters, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boyko said Thursday…

Ukrainian gas production increasing – (UPI) The Ukrainian government announced that natural gas production in the country increased by nearly 1 percent for the first seven months of the year…

Ukraine invites EU, Russia to co-manage its pipelines – (EurActiv) Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has called for establishing an international consortium consisting of Ukraine, Russia and the European Union to modernise and manage the Ukrainian natural gas transport system…

Boiko: Naftogaz to buy little less than 27 bcm of natural gas in 2012 – (KyivPost) Yalta – National NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy put in a bid for the purchase of 27 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in 2012, and, according to recent assessments, will buy a little less than that amount, according to Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boiko.

Azarov: Gas booster station at Yuliyivske field to help Ukraine become energy independent – (KyivPost) Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov commissioned the second line of the gas booster station at the Yuliyivske oil and gas condensate field during a working visit to Kharkiv region…

 

 

 

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.