A survey conducted by The European Association of Societies of ESCO (UE.ESCO) together with the European Federation of Intelligent Energy Efficiency Services (EFIEES)-as volunteer co-administrators of The European Code of Conduct on Energy Performance Contracts (EPC), based on Eurostat guidance note showed that EU guidance rules have negative impact on investments in energy efficiency in the public sector. Ten member states (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden) out of 15, participant to the survey, have reached the previous conclusion. ...more »

Electrica’s attempt to take back its subsidiaries’ holdings from Fondul Proprietatea (managed by Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited UK- Bucharest Branch) has not crystalized into a transaction, after several rounds of negotiations between the two. The subject of Electrica’s request refers to the four companies where it now has the majority of shares - Electrica Distribuție Transilvania Sud SA ("EDTS"), Electrica Distribuție Transilvania Nord SA ("EDTN"), Electrica Distribuție Muntenia Nord SA ("EDMN"), and Electrica Furnizare SA ("EF").  ...more »

The first desalinization station through reverse osmosis powered by renewable energy sources and entirely automatic was launched by Monsson Middle-East in Qatar, on 16th of March. The beneficiaries will be able to access desalinized fresh water with lower expenses for energy and consumption, and they are sure this is the perfect solution to deal with increasing energy requests without utilizing fossil fuel, but only nature force....more »

The Association of the Electricity Suppliers in Romania AFEER, proposed a set of changes for energy Law no. 123/2012. The suggestions were made through the association president Ion Lungu, regarding the implementations of new rules that apply in an equitable manner to all the participants in the market and in conformity with the EU practices. The amendments propositions cover all the identified gaps and tackle the issues in the actual law with the declared purpose of having an equidistant and transparent electricity market for all the participants....more »

In 2014, a government decision (HG 495/2014) was laying the grounds for helping large energy consumers' energy bill by introducing a reduction of 85% from the price of acquisition of green certificates. The state aid would be awarded to the companies as an “agreement of exception” after applying for it at the Ministry of Economy with a range of documents that prove investments in energy efficiency. The amount of the green certificates was estimated at about EUR 750 million in ten years this value being transferred to other consumers, especially on SMEs. ...more »

After three years of delays, energy trader Alpiq Romindustries and aluminum producer Alro SA lose law suits in favor of Hidroelectrica. Alro and Alpiq were requesting damages worth of 146 million EUR for not being registered in the preliminary table of claims after Hidroelectrica entered insolvency.  From October 2011 to December 2012, Hidroelectrica faced extreme dryness and therefore, the low debits of the Danube could not provide the foreseen amount of energy to its creditors. At first, it tried to compensate by buying thermic energy and selling it for an even lower price. But, when the financial resources were exhausted, the company invoked force majeure, which allowed them to diminish the quantity of energy provided to its commercial partners. The Court entitled Hidroelectrica to the reimbursement of the trial expenses, approx. 28.600 EUR. Alro was represented by Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii, and Alpiq by law firmSchoenherr. ...more »

Romania's dependency on energy imports is one of the lowest in the European Union reveals the Eurostat data released on energy consumption. The average energy dependency in the EU is around 53.4 percent, which means that the EU had to import more than half of the energy it consumed. The EU member states least dependent on energy imports were Estonia (8.9 percent), Denmark (12.8 percent) and Romania (17percent). The states that have the highest share of energy imports in 2014 are Malta with 97.7percent, Luxembourg (96.6percent) and Cyprus (93.4percent)....more »

The Romanian National Power Grid "Transelectrica" SA announced that Carmen Neagu, member of the company's Supervisory Board resigned as date of the end of 2015. Ms. Neagu has also served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Currently, the Supervisory Board operates with members in office at the date of the pres release signed by Ion-Toni Teau General Director and President of the Directorate....more »

The president of the National Energy Regulatory Authority, Niculae Havrilet announced that the price of electricity should decrease by 5 to 6 percent starting on 1 January, after the reduction of distribution tariffs and cogeneration bonus while gas will also become cheaper with effect from 1 July 2016. "Electricity tariffs will decrease from 1 January as distribution tariffs will contribute to the decline in the final price” said the head of ANRE. As regards the gas sector, Havrileţ showed that rates will be changed from July 1, 2016....more »

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