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Energy & Environment
Natural gas consumption at 150.7 mln MWh last year
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The Romanian natural gas consumption totalled 150.701 million megawatthour (MWh) in 2011, up 2.68 percent on the prior year, when it stood at 146.761 million MWh, show figures centralised by the National Energy Regulatory Authority. The natural gas consumption peaked last year in January at 20.059 million MWh and it hit its lowest in August at 7.047 million MWh.The domestic natural gas production aimed for consumption accounted for 74.91 percent of overall sources in last ...
Cernavoda NPP in nuclear plants top worldwide
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Unit 1 - Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) ranks 3rd in the top of the global nuclear facilities, with an installed capacity utilization factor averaged over three years (2009-2011) of 96.27 percent, according to WANO and international statistics assessment at the level of January 2012, made on the basis of Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant results.According to a release of Cernavoda NPP , Unit 1 of the plant achieved a capacity factor of 90 percent by the end of January, for the ...
Romanian Rompetrol Expands Business in Bulgaria
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The Romanian oil company Rompetrol is opening ten new gas stations in Bulgaria by the end of April, 2012. The news was reported Monday by the company's press office. With the new gas stations, there total number in Bulgaria will grow to 70.According to Rompetrol's management, there is increased interest from owners of smaller, independent gas stations in Bulgaria (the so-called "white" stations, which are not part of the large chains) to join the Romanian business as franchise partners, ...
Gov't: Car Scrappage Scheme to have 120 million lei earmarked in 2012 budget
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The car fleet renewal programme will benefit in 2012 from a 120 million lei budget and the Green Home programme will benefit from a 100 million lei budget, Environment Minister Laszlo Borbely said on Tuesday, after the Government approved the National Environment Fund.The minister pointed out that the Car Scrappage Scheme's budget could be supplemented if there was a demand in this respect.Borbely added that in 2012, too, the Car Scrappage Scheme would be carried out the ...
EU's 10-year power grid plan 'driven by renewables'
Thursday, March 8, 2012
In March, the European Network of Transmission Systems Operators (ENTSO-E) will submit a comprehensive 10-year plan for public consultation which shows that most of the continent’s investments in electricity infrastructure will be “driven directly or indirectly by renewable integration concerns,” ENTSO-E told EurActiv.One official familiar with the proposal said renewable energies would be a driving force behind the proposed 10-year network development plan that will be tabled in ...
Bloomberg:Enel Spending on Romanian Wind Gains 4-fold to 330 Million Euros
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Enel Green Power SpA (EGPW)’s spending on Romanian wind farms rose more than fourfold to 330 million euros ($434 million) last year as the country seeks to increase production of electricity from renewable sources. The company, Italy’s largest renewable-energy company and a unit of Enel SpA, began operating 205 megawatts of Romanian wind farms in 2011, the most of any European country, it said. Enel commissioned 91 megawatts in Italy and 64 megawatts in France, it said. The company spent 75 ...
Development minister, Chevron officials discuss exploring for shale gas
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Romania's Minister of Regional Development and Tourism Cristian Petrescu on Wednesday met officials of the US company Chevron to discuss energy projects the company wants to carry out in Romania.The Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism reports in a press release that Chevron Romania Country Manger Tom Host talked about the importance and advantages to Romania of exploring for shale gas.Petrescu voiced in his turn support for the projects that help create jobs that ...
Basescu: There are interests in Romania becoming increasingly more energy dependent
Thursday, March 8, 2012
President Traian Basket said on Wednesdays that there are currently certain interests in Romania becoming increasingly more energy dependent, urging Parliament to a responsible look at Romania's need to consistently increase its energy-generation capabilities.'Romania is currently generating the quantity of energy it needs for its current level of development. But, if we look at the prospects for the next ten years, you should be clear about the fact that one of the big issues to ...
Traian Basescu to Parliament and Government: Open up mining again!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
President Traian Basescu on Wednesday appealed both to parliamentarians and the members of the Government to open up mining again. 'Nothing is more important today for us than to create jobs. I know that demagogy is in fashion. I know that people say: 'Let us not touch this country's resources.' But if we do not find solutions to people's jobs, we shall not only have problems in an unbalanced budget, with a pension fund that cannot be supported, but we shall also give no chances of ...
Petrol consumption decreases 9%, diesel one increases 7% in 2011
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Romania's petrol consumption decreased by 9% in 2011 compared with 2010, while diesel consumption increased by 7%, the general manager of OMV Petrom, Mariana Gheorghe told a Wednesday's press conference. 'Petrol and diesel consumption had different trends in 2011. Petrol consumption in Romania decreased by 9% in 2011 compared with 2010, while diesel consumption increased by 7%,' said Mariana Gheorghe.Diesel imports represented some 30% of diesel consumption, she added. ...
Hidroelectrica and Nuclearelectrica initial public offerings to be finalised in October 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The initial public offerings of 10-percent stakes in Hidroelectrica and Nuclearelectrica will be finalised in October 2012, Chairman of the Government's Industrial Holdings and Privatisation Florin Laurentiu Vladana told a business seminar.'The deadline for the submission of bids for the 10-percent stake in Hidroelectrica is March 1, 2012. In the case of Nuclearelectrica, the technical requirements are to be completed first and very soon the announcement for electing the arranger ...
Romgaz turnover up 11 pct, market share steady at 45 pct last year
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Gas company Romgaz Medias reported last year an 11 pct growth in turnover to about 930 million euros (RON 4.05 billion), while the company's market share stood around 45 pct, Romgaz Medias interim managing director Dumitru Chisalita told a specialist conference on Thursday.'Romgaz currently operates eight perimeters in Romania, investing annually 60 million euros therein. The minimum operation programs require a total amount of 500 million euros. In the past three years we maintained ...
Petrol price up 4.2 pct in Romania since beginning of 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Petrol price in Romania has surged by 4.2 percent over Jan. 12 - Feb. 24, 2012, while the average petrol price in the European Union has dropped 2.2 percent, according to a release sent by state adviser to Romanian Prime Minister Andreea Paul Vass on Friday.At the same time, the diesel price rose in Romania by 3 percent in the same period, whereas the European average price holds steady, according to the above-quoted source. 'The European competition is tougher than in Romania, ...
Rompetrol: Fuel prices rise due to higher price for crude and oil products, worldwide
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Rompetrol Oil Company raised fuel prices because the increase in the price for fuel and oil products, worldwide, Company informs on Friday.'Rompetrol raised its average prices, on Jan 13, last. Compared to that, the latest rise, on Friday, amounting to plus 2.9 percent for Efix gasoline and 2.1 percent for Efix diesel comes on the background of the developments in the crude and the oil products prices, worldwide, namely plus 13.4 percent for the Euro 5 gasoline and plus 6.8 percent ...
EC sends Romania, another 7 states reasoned opinions over failure to transpose internal market laws
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The European Commission on Monday sent Romania and another seven European Union members reasoned opinions (the second stage of formal infringement procedures) for failure to have informed the EU executive of the adoption of measures meant to transpose the directives on electric energy and gas.The Electricity and Gas Directives of the Third Energy Package had to be transposed by the member states by March 3, 2011. As to date Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, Luxembourg, Netherlands ...
EC: Romania, Italy and Cyprus must adopt consumer favorable legislation on energy labeling
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The European Commission on Monday decided to send motivated notifications (the second stage of the infringement procedure) to Romania, Italy and Cyprus, because they have not notified the Union government concerning the complete transposition in the national legislations of the directive on energy labeling.The three countries had received notification letters (the first stage of the infringement procedure) on July 18 last year and have at their disposal two months to comply with ...
Transelectrica lifted cap on electricity exports
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Romania's Transelectrica national electricity transmission corporation on Friday lifted its cap on electricity exports as domestic consumption decreased and fuel reserves of heat and electricity plants increased and the level of the Danube River and inland rivers rose as a result of favourable weather conditions.Transelectrica says in a press release that it intends not to put the cap back in place even if the bad weather returned.'Compared with the business days of the ...
Mini-hydroelectric plants installed power capacity to total 400 MW by year-end
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The installed power capacity currently operational in the mini-hydroelectric plants totals 300 megawatt nationwide, with estimates pointing to its increase to 400 MW by the end of 2012, Minister of Environment and Forestry Laszlo Borbely told the European Hydropower Summit on Tuesday. 'Estimates show Romania's hydro-power potential stands at around 5,900 MW and, when also considering the Danube, we can reach 8,000 MW. 1,100 MW out of the 8,000 have a potential for the ...
EC can decide in March 2012 to resume selling green certificates
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The European Commission will make a decision concerning the AAUs (assigned amount units - green certificates) allocated to Romania in March 2012, Environment and Forestry Minister Laszlo Borbely said on Tuesday, while attending the European Hydropower Summit.'Concerning the AAUs, an expert preliminary report was made and Romania has taken important steps. The European Commission will be having a meet in March. I hope they lift the suspension of selling them in April - May 2012. Of ...
Southern gas corridor takes shape
Thursday, March 1, 2012
A southern gas corridor is taking shape with one branch leading to Italy via the Trans Adriatic pipeline (TAP), and the other one, called "the northern route", to be built either by the Nabucco consortium or the South East Europe Pipeline project (SEEP) - which enjoys the support of an Azerbaijan gas consortium - the TAP director told EurActiv.TAP Managing Director Kjetil Tungland dismissed the views recently expressed by a competitor, who said the decision by Azerbaijan that TAP should ...