China, the Western Balkans and the EU: Can three tango?
May 17, 2018
With China pouring loans into the Western Balkans, the EU must step in to ensure this money benefits the region, writes Wawa Wang.
Rovinari unit 7, Romania
May 16, 2018
CANCELLED: The Romanian Government has been negotiating for several years with the Chinese Government to build a new 600 MW unit at the lignite power plant in Rovinari, Gorj County. The new unit would be built on the site of Units 1 and 2, currently decommissioned. A new up and running plant would pollute the whole region for at least 40 more years, a coal plant’s average lifespan.
Chinese-financed coal projects in Southeast Europe
May 15, 2018
Several EU enlargement countries in the Western Balkans – as well as EU member states Romania and Greece – plan to build new lignite power plants. In contrast, the EU aims to decarbonise its energy sector by 2050, most EU countries no longer build new
Gacko II, Bosnia and Herzegovina
May 15, 2018
The Republika Srpska government plans to build a new 350 MW lignite power plant in Gacko, near the town’s existing plant. After years of stagnation, in August 2022 it was reported that the Czech company Witkowitz was considering investing in the project.
Kamengrad lignite power plant, Bosnia-Herzegovina
May 15, 2018
An idea to build a power plant at the open-cast Kamengrad coal mine near Sanski Most in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been around for years, but in November 2017 it took a step forward with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Energy China International and the construction supplier Lager d.o.o. for a 2 x 215 MW plant.
The loan that made sense until it didn’t
May 11, 2018
During the annual meetings of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the bank is the subject of a complaint for policy violations via a EUR 200 million loan to Serbia’s state-owned energy utility: money earmarked to prepare the fossil fuels-based company for the realities of adhering to stricter EU legislation will instead enable it to extract and burn even more fossil fuels.
Novi ugalj na Balkanu – Zbogom zaštiti klime?
May 5, 2018
Građani će plaćati i novcem i zdravljem ako se ostane pri planovima za gradnju novih termoelektrana, a BiH će ostati među zemaljama sa najzagađenijim zrakom na svijetu, upozorili su stručnjaci na diskusiji u Berlinu. Source: Novi ugalj na Balkanu – Zbo
Slovakia: Platform for Coal Regions in Transition could benefit coal company instead of communities
April 30, 2018
Bratislava – Today was the last day when actors from the Upper Nitra region in Slovakia could submit projects on the topic of regional development, to be supported by the Slovak government in cooperation with the European Commission.
Chinese banks move into Bosnian power sector
April 17, 2018
Balkan coal projects are expanding under the Belt and Road banner “Miners don’t say good day, we say good luck,” says Hata Muratović Hasanspahić, standing at the door to a concrete elevator shaft that carries her 300 metres below ground each day. Hata
Planned Gacko II lignite plant in Bosnia-Herzegovina likely to make losses, shows new analysis
April 12, 2018
Our colleagues from the Center for Environment from Banja Luka have today published a new analysis of the feasibility study for the planned Gacko II lignite power plant in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which shows that the new plant is likely to be unprofitable.
