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Italian power company Enel has outlined its 2019-2021 strategic plan and expects to spend €27.5bn in gross capital expenditure (capex) over the plan period, a 12% increase compared with the previous plan. Of this amount, 42% will be dedicated to renewable energies and 40% to networks. The remainder will be invested in thermal power capacities (9%), retail business (5%) and customer services (Enel X plan, 4%).

As a result, more than 11.6 GW of renewable power capacity is slated for commissioning in 2021, while the company will reduce its thermal power capacity by 7 GW. By 2021, 62% of Enel’s power production will be CO2 emission-free, compared with 48% in 2018.

The group will move forward with its decarbonation objective and will focus on the markets where it has an integrated presence (such as Italy, Spain, Chile and Brazil).

South Korean power generation company SK E&S has agreed to divest a 49% interest in the 1,800 MW Paju CCGT power plant in Paju (Gyeonggi Province of South Korea) to Thailand’s Electricity Generating Public Company Limited (EGCO) for a total consideration of KRW900bn (US$796m). After the completion of the transaction, SK E&S will retain the remaining 51% and the operatorship of the plant.

German power utility Steag has announced plans to acquire RWE’s 51% stake in the jointly-owned Bergkamen coal-fired power plant (Germany). Steag already owns a 49% interest in the 717 MW (780 MW gross) facility, which came online in 1981. RWE has confirmed the plans but the financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed so far.

Indian state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has unveiled the results of the first Indian hybrid solar and wind power tender. It was undersubscribed by 150 MW and many players walked away due to low tariffs. The ceiling tariff for the 1,200 MW tender was set at INR2.70/kWh (US$3.8c/kWh) and many bidders estimated that projects would not be economically viable at this price.

The Brazilian Commission of Economic Affairs (Comissão de Assuntos Econômicos or CAE) has approved a draft law to expand access to the electricity free market to domestic small consumers (< 500 kW). If adopted, it would allow them to access the competitive market and potentially reduce their energy bills. For resident consumers,…

The United Kingdom Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has issued a draft budget of £60m (€67.4m) for the next Contracts for Difference (CfD) renewable energy allocation round due to start at the beginning of 2019.. This third round will focus on less established technologies, such as offshore wind, remote island onshore wind, advanced conversion technologies,….

The Algerian government has expressed again its willingness to strengthen its energy partnership with the European Union, encompassing both fossil and renewable energy projects.

The government of Oman plans to integrate two domestic state-run companies, namely Oman Oil Company (OOC) and Oman Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (ORPIC), to create one large refining and trading firm. Companies are expected to merge their respective downstream businesses as the first stage of the merging process.