, Author at Balancing Energy - South East Europe

CBAM raises new questions for Western Balkans electricity trade with the EU

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism did not emerge from an environmental bureaucracy; it emerged from the heart of Europe’s industrial survival strategy. It is designed to prevent carbon leakage, protect European manufacturing and enforce a consistent climate discipline across competitive landscapes. Yet its implications extend beyond steel, cement and aluminium — they now reach directly […]

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EU deadline looms as SEE struggles to meet 70% cross-zonal capacity rule

Europe rarely enforces strict deadlines without deeper strategic intent. The requirement for European markets to make 70 percent of cross-zonal capacity available for trade by the end of 2025 is not an academic compliance exercise; it is an economic mechanism designed to reshape how electricity behaves across borders. For South-East Europe, meeting this rule is

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SEE power markets still exposed to price spikes as cross-border integration lags

South-East Europe remains one of the most structurally vulnerable electricity markets in Europe, not because it lacks generation potential or geography, but because of institutional latency, infrastructural bottlenecks and incomplete integration into the broader European market framework. Over the past decade, the region has repeatedly demonstrated a paradox: it is simultaneously a territory of opportunity

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Serbia: US extends NIS negotiation license amid fuel supply challenges

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a new license to Serbian oil company NIS, allowing negotiations on the sale of the Russian ownership stake to continue until 24 March. However, the license does not permit regular business operations during this interim period. The decision provides additional time for discussions but

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Montenegro plans strategic diesel purchases for 2026 to strengthen fuel reserves

Montenegro is preparing a new round of strategic fuel purchases in 2026, allocating between €9 and €12 million to secure additional diesel supplies as part of its mandatory reserve system. The plan envisions acquiring roughly 12,000 to 16,000 tons of diesel, with final volumes and costs dependent on market prices and available funding. Government estimates

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North Macedonia declares electricity supply crisis amid fuel disruptions from Greece

The Government of North Macedonia has approved the declaration of a crisis situation in the electricity supply system nationwide, following disruptions in fuel procurement caused by protests in neighboring Greece. The decision was made during a Government session based on a proposal from the national crisis management coordination body, which determined that electricity producers are

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Greece to revise renewable energy spatial planning to prioritize wind potential and streamline development

Greece is set to revamp the spatial planning of renewable energy projects, with updated rules for siting installations expected to take shape over the next year. The Ministry of Environment and Energy is finalizing the criteria that will form the backbone of a revised Special Spatial Planning framework for renewable energy sources. Officials plan to

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Bulgaria: NPP Kozloduy Unit 6 resumes electricity generation after maintenance

Electricity generation at Unit 6 of Bulgaria’s sole nuclear power plant, Kozloduy, has resumed after the reactor was successfully synchronized with the national power grid on 24 December at 11:22 AM. The operator confirmed that output will be gradually increased, following standard operational procedures. The restart came after extensive technical verifications, laboratory analyses, and external

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Bosnia and Herzegovina: EPBiH unveils 2026–2028 strategy boosting renewables and modernizing power infrastructure

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state-owned utility EPBiH has adopted its business strategy for the 2026–2028 period, setting out plans to preserve its position as the country’s leading electricity supplier while ensuring positive financial performance. Over the three-year horizon, the company expects to produce a total of 16,175.5 GWh of electricity, a target that will depend on

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