COGEN Slovakia, Cogeneration in Povazsky Chlmec
Publication | 7 March, 2012The new greenfield gas cogeneration power plant COGEN in north Slovakia is planned to produce power and heat. Located in Považský Chlmec, a town in the Žilina district, the new plant would further deteriorate the quality of life of locals, who have for decades been suffering from the negative impacts of a nearby waste disposal site and nearby highway.
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Energy Security for whom? For what?
Blog entry | 28 February, 2012A new report by The Corner House critically examines the notion of “energy security,” one of the buzzwords in European politics used to justify controversial infrastructure projects like the Nabucco gas pipeline or high voltage transmission lines in Ukraine. Here an introduction to the report from its authors.
Read moreThe dirty French-Slovenian connection
Press release | 23 February, 2012Slovenian state anti-corruption body claims ALSTOM could have benefited from corrupt acts to get deal to build new lignite plant at Sostanj.
Read moreHigh risk of corruption in Sostanj TES 6: Report by Slovenian Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (unofficial translation)
Publication | 23 February, 2012For many years TES 6 has been surrounded by rumours of corruption. In February 2012 the Slovene State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption published a report stating that acts of corruption could have influenced the awarding of the contract to French company ALSTOM and that the law on the state guarantee itself was initially drafted by employees of HSE, the owner of the Sostanj power complex. Slovene NGO Focus Association for Sustainable Development has translated the report to English. (The original report (in Slovenian language) is available for download here (pdf).)
Read moreEnergy Security For Whom? For What?
Publication | 16 February, 2012How can fossil fuels and uranium be kept in the ground and agrofuels off the land in ways that do not inflict suffering upon millions? Mainstream policy responses to these issues are largely framed in terms of “energy security”. Yet far from making energy supplies more secure, such policies are triggering a cascade of new insecurities for millions of people.
Read moreOpen letter to Swedish Minister of Finance: Phase out fossil fuels lending by EIB
Publication | 15 February, 2012A broad selection of Swedish NGO’s have joined Bankwatch’s call to phase out fossil fuels lending by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The open letter, sent to the Swedish Minister of Finance, Anders Borg, reminds the Swedish government that as one of the EIB’s shareholders, the country bears responsibility for how EIB resources are not sufficiently contributing to sustainable development.
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Tragedy or comedy, what is the Nabucco pipeline really?
Blog entry | 19 January, 2012The announcement of German energy giant RWE to reconsider its plans for the Nabucco pipeline is just the last in a series of confusingly conflicting signals regarding the fate of this gargantuan project.
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Deja vu for Vienna II – a sustainable recovery is needed for the CEE financial sector
Blog entry | 16 January, 2012As pressures mount on western European banks to shore up capital ratios and with 2012 economic growth forecasts for Europe falling close to zero, officials from the European Central Bank, the European Commission, and several international financial institutions (IFIs) are meeting today in Vienna with regulators from CEE countries to discuss a second round of financial support for a fragile CEE banking sector.
Read moreEIB response to Bankwatch study ‘Carbon rising: European Investment Bank energy lending 2007-2010’
Publication | 16 January, 2012The European Investment Bank responded to the study Carbon Rising: European Investment Bank energy lending 2007-2010 in which Bankwatch analysed the energy lending by the EIB since the institution launched its energy policy in 2007. Bankwatch’s rejoinder to the EIB’s letter can also be downloaded as pdf.
Read moreComplaint to EBRD’s Public Complaint Mechanism: Rivne-Kyiv High Voltage Line project
Publication | 10 January, 2012The loan agreement between Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the Rivne-Kyiv High Voltage Line project (connected to the controversial “Second Backbone Corridor”) included significant parts of the project that were not assessed in the obligatory environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) prior to project approval.
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