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AES has received approval to build the 2.2 GW Son My 2 CCGT power plant in the south-central province of Binh Thuan, Vietnam. The facility will have a 20-year contract with the Government of Vietnam and is expected to achieve financial close in 2021 and begin commercial operations in 2024. The power plant is part of a larger investment plan including the 13 bcm/year Son My LNG terminal (also approved by the government in August 2019).

The government of Ukraine launched a new RES support mechanism that introduces mandatory participation of power producers in tenders as of 1 January 2020. The first pilot auction should be held before 31 December 2019.

The European Commission has adopted new energy efficiency rules to make household appliances – such as washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers and televisions – more sustainable. The new eco-design rules include requirements for repairability and recyclability, aimed at improving the life span, maintenance, re-use, upgrade, recyclability and waste handling of appliances.

Brazil’s state-run oil and gas company Petrobras has started the sale process of its 100% interests in eight onshore exploration blocks in the Recôncavo Basin, in the state of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil.

German energy group RWE has presented its strategy to become carbon neutral by 2040. The company intends to reduce its CO2 emissions by 70% within the next decade.. RWE plans to invest massively in renewable energies by investing no less than €1.5bn/year in solar, wind and energy storage technologies. This amount could rise to €2-3bn/year thanks to project partnerships.

The government of Kuwait has announced plans to sell 26% to 44% stakes at the Al-Khiran (Al-Khairan) and Al-Zour power projects in 2020-2021. The government will also lead the first phase of an initial public offering (IPO) of shares for the 1,540 MW Az-Zour North independent water and power project (IWPP) (Az-Zour North CCGT). …

The Nuclear Regulatory Agency of Bulgaria has granted a new 10-year operational licence to the sixth unit of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant after its upgrade. The Soviet-made reactor, which has been recently modernised by Russia’s Rosatom, can now operate until 2051.

Iran has started to build a US$1.8bn oil pipeline with a capacity of 1 mb/d between Goreh in the Bushehr province of north-western Iran and the port of Jask in southern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) of Connecticut (United States) has received three bids in the request for proposals (RFP) for the development of up to 2,000 MW of offshore wind power that was launched in late August 2019. Bids were due by 30 September 2019 and had to include an environmental and fisheries mitigation plan. …