Updates on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Letter to the EBRD regarding the procurement notice for the Stanari thermal power plant project

It is of great concern to us that the EBRD is considering a loan for Energy Financing Team (EFT), a company which is under continued investigation by the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) regarding its activities in Bosnia-Herzegovina. This investigation was launched based on a series of convergent facts and reports, in particular a special audit report of the Republic of Srpska power utility. We believe that for the EBRD to publicly associate itself with the company, even by posting a procurement notice and stating that the company may apply for an EBRD loan, sends out a message that being under investigation for possible corruption is no barrier to receiving public financial support. After years of attempts by various actors to improve public and corporate governance standards, this is exactly the opposite message that the EBRD ought to be sending out.

Letter to the EBRD regarding the Kaniv pump storage plant

On November 19, 2007 EBRD responded to this letter. Download the response as pdf here.

Kaniv pumped storage plant: project risks

In March 2006, the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers approved the "Energy Strategy of Ukraine till 2030." The Strategy foresees the growth of electric power generation mainly by the development of Ukraine’s power engineering due to the priority usage of nuclear energy. As nuclear power plants (NPPs) do not represent loads-shifting generating capacities, there is a problem with loads-shifting in the network. For this purpose the Strategy foresees the installation of loads-shifting capacities – or pumped storage plants (PSPs).

Photo report documenting the remake of pipeline for the Sakhalin II project

Summary of Public Environmental Impact Assessment of Western High-Speed Diameter project

Recent examples of geological hazards for the Sakhalin II pipeline: landslides uncover pipeline and erosion continues

Albanian referendum aims to put a break on Italian oil and gas plans for renowned Vlora Bay

Vlora, Albania – The city council of Vlora in Albania this week approved a citizens’ initiative to hold a public referendum on the development in the picturesque Bay of Vlora of a 200,000 ton oil and gas terminal that is being promoted by the Italian La Petrolífera Italo Rumena company. If constructed, the terminal would become another component of a controversial industrial and energy park located less than six kilometres north of Vlora, a city of more than 150,000 inhabitants.

NGO letter to the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation regarding concerns with the review of environmental and social standards of Sakhalin-2 and related project financing

Photo report form the public environmental inspection of the Sakhalin II oil and gas extraction project from July 2007

NGO photo presentation to the JBIC forum on the Sakhalin II project