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The Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia has rescheduled the second long-term renewable energy auction to late October 2019. Colombia’s first long-term renewable energy auction was launched in early 2019 and attracted bids totalling 1,500 MW from 27 companies, but was declared void over competition concerns in February 2019.

The auction will be open to new renewable power generation projects of 5 MW and more to be commissioned before 1 January 2022. Eligible technologies will include wind, solar, geothermal, small hydro and wave energy. Power generators and buyers will make their offers on specific time blocks (between 0 AM and 7 AM, from 7 AM to 5 PM and from 5 PM to 0 AM) and power generators will commit to provide a guaranteed amount during the time block. The power purchase agreements, whose length has been extended from 12 years (February tender) to 15 years, will start on 1 January 2022 and will be based on a «pay what is contracted» model, with buyers agreeing to pay the contracted energy instead of paying for their withdrawal. The Energy Mining Planning Unit (UPME) will collect offers from generators and buyers and will then announce the maximum amount of energy that will be auctioned. It will set a maximum amount of energy to be purchased for the participants to receive the contract. The energy regulator CREG will set a maximum price ahead of the auction.

Under terms published in early 2019, the February 2019 tender process would have granted contracts for the supply of 1,183 GWh under 12-year power purchase agreements (PPAs). The projects were initially slated for selection in March 2019 and due to start generating power in 2021.

About 70% of Colombia’s power generation capacity stems from hydropower plants, while the remainder comes from thermal assets. Under its Ideario Energetico 2050 policy issued in 2015, the government aims to add at least 474 MW of wind energy capacity, 143 MW of solar, 275 MW of geothermal and 314 MW of cogeneration with biomass by 2028, i.e. a total of 1,207 MW in renewable energy capacity addition. The auction was expected to be a key component of Colombia’s efforts to boost its installed renewable capacity.

The Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan has announced plans to privatise the national oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz (UNG) by 2024. The government would float up to 49% of the shares in the company in an initial public offering (IPO) no later than 2024. So far, it has disclosed no data on UNG’s current production level or potential valuation. …

Indonesia’s state-owned power company PT PLN plans to auction at least 157 renewable power projects with a combined capacity of 4,718 MW in 2019 and 2020 in order to raise the share of renewables in the power mix. The auctions are still under preparation (feasibility studies under way) and will include geothermal projects («PLTP»), hydropower projects («PLTA») and solar projects («PLTS»). …

According to the Ministry of Energy of Lebanon, several foreign companies such as BB Energy, Total, Eni, Novatek, Lukoil and Gazprom have expressed interest in participating in the second licensing round for offshore oil and gas exploration. The Lebanese government announced the second licensing round in April 2019 and set the deadline to submit offers to January 2020.

Aker BP has announced a new oil discovery in the Liatårnet well located in license 442 in the North of Alvheim and Krafla-Askja (NOAKA) area off the Norwegian coast. The well has proved oil with a gross resource estimate of 80-200 mboe. Overall, the discovery could hold up to 700 mboe in place.

The National Iranian Oil Company has awarded US$6.2bn of contracts to boost its crude oil production by 280,000 bbl/d under its «Extra-output scheme» programme. Around US$2bn will be dedicated to new equipments to be installed at offshore and onshore oil fields by Iranian companies. Iran is determined to increase investments in its oil sector despite US sanctions restricting its exports.

The Ministry of Energy of Indonesia has approved the revised development plant for the Masela liquefaction plant, gas pipelines and offshore facilities.

Canadian power utility Hydro-Quebec has commissioned new power transmission facilities built under the 735-kV Chamouchouane–Bout-de-l’Île project in Quebec. The C$1.3bn (US$995m) project consists of 5,040 km of lines, including a 420 km section between the Chamouchouane substation in La Doré (Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean) and the Montréal metropolitan loop.