Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
Saudi Arabia updates its net-metering scheme for rooftop PV systems
15 Jul 2020The Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (ECRA) of Saudi Arabia has released new rules for distributed solar PV systems ranging from 1 kW to 2 MW for all kinds of energy consumers, in order to encourage electricity consumers to install PV systems under the national net metering scheme. Saudi power distribution companies will have to provide the information needed for feasibility studies to consumers willing to install PV systems and to apply for grid connections.
Read moreEU creates a €10bn fund to support energy transition in Eastern Europe
13 Jul 2020The European Commission has approved the rules on operation of the Modernisation Fund, an EU solidarity fund to support 10 Central and Eastern European EU Member States in their transition to climate neutrality by helping to modernise their energy systems and improve energy efficiency. Beneficiaries include Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
Read moreNew South Wales (Australia) plans a new 8 GW renewables zone
13 Jul 2020The government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) plans to invest AUD79m (US$55m) to create a new 8 GW Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in New England, which is expected to attract AUD12.7bn (US$8.8bn) in investment.
Read moreCompanies
E.ON divests innogy’s power and gas retail business in the Czech Republic
15 Jul 2020The German energy group E.ON has signed an agreement with the Hungarian state-owned energy company MVM Group to sell innogy Ceska republika, innogy’s entire electricity and gas retail business in the Czech Republic, to MVM Group for an undisclosed amount. The sale includes a portfolio of 1.2 million gas customers and 0.4 million electricity customers in the Czech Republic, along with cogeneration assets and a wholesale and e-mobility portfolio. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2020, subject to the approval of the European Commission.
Read morePetrobras starts binding phase for selling gas company Gaspetro (Brazil)
15 Jul 2020The Brazilian oil and gas company Petrobras has started the binding phase for the sale of its entire 51% interest in Petrobras Gás (Gaspetro), a holding company with interests in several gas distribution companies in Brazil and that distributed 29 mcm/d of gas to around 500,000 customers through a distribution network of more than 10,000 km of gas pipelines.
Read moreEnergy & Climate Markets
Iran signs US$463m oil agreement to develop the Yaran oil field
15 Jul 2020National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has signed a US$463m agreement with Persia Oil and Gas Industry Development Co (Iran) to operate and develop the Yaran oil field, as the country is anticipating an end to sanctions.
Read moreEskom (South Africa) implements Stage 2 load-shedding again
15 Jul 2020The South African state-owned power group Eskom has resumed load shedding after breakdowns at the Kendal, Tutuka, Kriel and Medupi coal-fired power plants during the week. The company has returned some power generation units to service, but the rising electricity consumption due to a colder weather has prompted the company to implement Stage 2 load shedding, i.e. cutting up to 2 GW of power from the national grid to protect the network.
Read moreTechnology
The UK will invest £40m to support small nuclear reactor (SMR) projects
15 Jul 2020The UK government has decided to invest £40m (€45m) to develop the next generation of nuclear technology, especially small nuclear reactor (SMR) projects in the United Kingdom. Most of the funding (£30m, i.e. €33m) will support 3 Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) projects in Oxfordshire, Cheshire and Lancashire in England: Tokamak Energy will focus on fusion reactors in Oxfordshire, while Westinghouse will work on developing a lead-cooled fast reactor (fission reactor) in Lancashire and U-Battery will work on a small high temperature gas-cooled fission reactor in Cheshire.
Read moreInfrastructure & Investments
CNNC completes fuel loading at Tianwan-5 nuclear unit (China)
15 Jul 2020Chinese state-run nuclear corporation China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has completed fuel loading into the fifth unit of the Tianwan nuclear power project in the Jiangsu province of China, paving the way for grid-connected power generation. The Unit 5 consist of a Chinese-designed ACPR1000 pressurised water reactors(PWR) rated 1,080 MWe (similar design for Unit 6).
Read morePower interconnexion between the UK and Denmark starts construction
15 Jul 2020The UK power transmission system operator (TSO) National Grid has started to build the 765 km-long Viking Link, a 1,400 MW power interconnection line between Lincolnshire in eastern England (United Kingdom) and South Jutland (Denmark). The €2bn high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) subsea cable is developed in partnership with the Danish TSO Energinet.dk and will enable Denmark to export renewable electricity to the UK. Commissioning is expected in late 2023.
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