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Producción y mercados energéticos 08/02/19

Latest Energy News 08 February 2019

TOP STORY: Vattenfall reports increased power and gas sales in 2018 (Sweden) Swedish state-run power company Vattenfall has issued its 2018 results, reporting a 16% increase in net sales to SEK156.8bn (€14.9bn), thanks to currency effects, higher power prices and nuclear power production, and eventually higher sales of electricity and gas. Sales of electricity and gas increased on most markets – electricity sales rose by 8.6% to 119 TWh, while gas sales increased by 1.4% to 57 TWh and heat sales dipped by 2.6% to 18 TWh – and the customer base increased by 1.9% to 8.9 billion contracts. Electricity production reached 130.3 TWh (+2.4%) in 2018. Nuclear operations achieved a record of 55 TWh (+6%). Hydropower and wind installations generated 35.5 TWh and 7.8 TWh, a level similar to 2017. Thermal power generation remained stable at 31.6 TWh (-0.6%). Wind energy made significant progress throughout the year thanks to higher electricity prices. Installed wind capacity reached 2,842 MW (+2.6%), of which 1,699 MW offshore and 1,143 MW onshore. Most of the capacity is located in the United Kingdom (1,082 MW), Germany (655 MW), Denmark (401 MW), Sweden (355 MW) the Netherlands (349 MW). In 2018, the company invested SEK8.2bn (€780m) to support the development of wind parks and other renewable generation activities, which is 46% more than in 2017. Approximately SEK24bn (€2.29bn) will be invested in 2019 and 2020 to support the future wind capacity additions, which corresponds to 75% of the company’s total funds for growth investments. In 2018, Vattenfall distributed 86 TWh (+0.7%) to 3.3 million customers.. Investments in the Swedish and German distribution segments rose by 21% and 15%, respectively. Distribution revenues increased to SEK22.4bn (€2.1bn, +4.4%) mainly due to higher local network tariffs and increased revenues for the Swedish regional network.

Companies French Senate greenlights lower State share in energy company Engie The French Senate has voted in favour of allowing the State to lower its minority stake in the gas and electricity group Engie below the 33% legal threshold. This announcement comes in the wake of a similar decision taken by the French National Assembly in October 2018. This paves the way for a potential reduction of the State’s interest in the company,… Read more Energy Markets EDF will stop 2 GW Cottam coal-fired power plant (UK) in September 2019 EDF Energy, the British subsidiary of French energy group EDF, has announced plans to cease power generation at its 2 GW Cottam coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire (United Kingdom) in late September 2019. The power plant will no longer be economically viable to run,… Read more South Pars natural gas production has reached 610 mcm/d (Iran) The Iranian government has announced that the gas production of the South Pars offshore field has reached 610 mcm/d. This announcement confirms the progression of the asset’s output, which is set to reach 630 mcm/d by March 2019. Read more Technology Renewable energies covered 17.1% of Estonia’s power consumption in 2018 According to the latest data issued by Estonia’s national electricity and gas transmission system operator (TSO) Elering, renewable energies covered 17.1% of the total electricity consumption in 2018, which is approximately the same amount as in 2017. Read more Infrastructure & Investments Argan wins EPC contract for 1.8 GW Guernsey CCGT power project (US) The project company Guernsey Power Station (jointly owned by Caithness Energy and Apex Power Group) has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Argan’s fully-owned affiliate Gemma Power Systems for the construction of a 1,875 MW natural gas-fired CCGT power plant in Guernsey County, Ohio. Read more Paz Oil unveils plans for new 700 MW CCGT project in Ashdod (Israel) Israeli energy corporation Paz Group has announced plans to build a new 700 MW gas-fired power plant in Ashdod (Israel), near the site of the 5.2 Mt/year Ashdod refinery. Estimated to be built at a total cost of about US$700m, the CCGT power project could start commercial operations as early as 2023. The produced power would feed the Israeli domestic grid. Read more UK government mulls financing model to revive Wylfa Newydd nuclear project The British Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) believes that it is still possible to deploy the £16bn (€18bn) Wylfa Newydd nuclear power project in Anglesey, in North Wales (United Kingdom) in the 2030s if a financing model can be agreed. According to the BEIS, one main driver behind the failure is the difficulty to finance it,… Read more ADNOC awards US$1.36bn contract for Ghasha gas expansion (UAE) State-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has awarded a contract worth AED5bn (about US$1..36bn) to the UAE-based National Marine Dredging Company (NMDC) to build multiple artificial islands under the first phase of development of the Ghasha ultra-sour gas mega project in the Al Dhafra region (United Arab Emirates). As per the agreement,… Read more Enel starts construction of 716 MW Lagoa dos Ventos wind park (Brazil) Italian energy group Enel has broken ground on the 716 MW Lagoa dos Ventos wind park in the municipalities of Lagoa do Barro do Piauí, Queimada Nova and Dom Inocêncio, in Brazil’s northeastern state of Piauí. The construction will be undertaken by Enel’s local subsidiary Enel Green Power Brasil (EGPB). Estimated to cost BRL3bn (around US$800m),… Read more