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Sat, Feb 04 2012
New energy plan on the way
The government is planning to design a new energy strategy where it will liberalize the energy market and divest itself of major assets, such as the big power plants, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Nikolai Vassilev at the end of last week.
Vassilev, who is in charge of the energy sector, is looking for a new team to manage the State Agency of Energy and Energy Resources (SAEER) and the National Electric Company (NEC).
SAEER's chairman, Ivan Shilyashki, has submitted his resignation, said Vassilev last Friday. The new SAEER chairman should have worked abroad and should not be associated with any energy lobby, he added. The head of the agency should also be a suitable candidate for a minister, because the SAEER is intended to be transformed into a Ministry.
Former Prime Minister Ivan Kostov's government decided in June to postpone the changes in the energy strategy and leave them to the new government. According to Shilyashki, the experts working on the energy strategy reached an agreement on all issues in the document but it should be voted on by the new government at the request of the National Movement Simeon II (NMSII).
The draft changes in the strategy envisage a gradual withdrawal of the state subsidies to the district heating companies by the end of 2004. For the same period, the prices of heating energy would grow by some 47 per cent. According to the draft changes in the Energy Law, which was adopted by the government in March but should pass an approval by the Parliament, the prices set by the district heating companies would be regulated at a municipal level.
Other important changes to the energy strategy refer to the restructuring and the privatization of the NEC. Depending on pessimistic and optimistic assumptions, the investment scenarios in the electricity sector vary from $6 million to $5 billion. The investments would be financed through contracts with private companies and privatization of the production units, which have already been separated from the structure of the NEC.
The strategy covers the period until 2015 and envisages the construction of a new nuclear plant after 2011. Reportedly, the economic team of the NMSII supported changes in the draft energy strategy, Shilyashki said after his meeting with representatives of the movement in late June.
However, it is likely that the NMSII will quickly change the Energy Law to allow entry of new electricity distribution networks and remove the current single buyer model. Experts find those plans positive for intensifying competition in the sector and attracting bigger investor interest in the electricity production units that have already been separated from the structures of the NEC.
The NMSII has also pledged to quickly finalize privatization in the electricity sector and receive reasonable prices for each privatized facility.
Vassilev, who is in charge of the energy sector, is looking for a new team to manage the State Agency of Energy and Energy Resources (SAEER) and the National Electric Company (NEC).
SAEER's chairman, Ivan Shilyashki, has submitted his resignation, said Vassilev last Friday. The new SAEER chairman should have worked abroad and should not be associated with any energy lobby, he added. The head of the agency should also be a suitable candidate for a minister, because the SAEER is intended to be transformed into a Ministry.
Former Prime Minister Ivan Kostov's government decided in June to postpone the changes in the energy strategy and leave them to the new government. According to Shilyashki, the experts working on the energy strategy reached an agreement on all issues in the document but it should be voted on by the new government at the request of the National Movement Simeon II (NMSII).
The draft changes in the strategy envisage a gradual withdrawal of the state subsidies to the district heating companies by the end of 2004. For the same period, the prices of heating energy would grow by some 47 per cent. According to the draft changes in the Energy Law, which was adopted by the government in March but should pass an approval by the Parliament, the prices set by the district heating companies would be regulated at a municipal level.
Other important changes to the energy strategy refer to the restructuring and the privatization of the NEC. Depending on pessimistic and optimistic assumptions, the investment scenarios in the electricity sector vary from $6 million to $5 billion. The investments would be financed through contracts with private companies and privatization of the production units, which have already been separated from the structure of the NEC.
The strategy covers the period until 2015 and envisages the construction of a new nuclear plant after 2011. Reportedly, the economic team of the NMSII supported changes in the draft energy strategy, Shilyashki said after his meeting with representatives of the movement in late June.
However, it is likely that the NMSII will quickly change the Energy Law to allow entry of new electricity distribution networks and remove the current single buyer model. Experts find those plans positive for intensifying competition in the sector and attracting bigger investor interest in the electricity production units that have already been separated from the structures of the NEC.
The NMSII has also pledged to quickly finalize privatization in the electricity sector and receive reasonable prices for each privatized facility.
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Appointments
British Council
Lyubov Kostova was appointed country manager of British Council Bulgaria effective January 1, replacing Tony Buckby, who left in October 2011 to take a similar position at British Council Greece. Kostova has been with British Council Bulgaria for 11 years, as public communications manager and, since 2008, as the head of project and partnerships department. Prior to joining the British Council, Kostova was head of international activities at the National Academy for Theatre and Cinema Arts (NATFIZ). She has a degree in Indian studies from Kliment Ohridski Sofia University.
CEZ
Stefan Apostolov is the new chief executive of CEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria, the power transmission subsidiary of Czech energy company CEZ in the country. He replaces interim chief executive Ales Damm, who remains the chairperson of the CEZ Razpredelenie management board. Apostolov has 30 years of experience in the energy sector, joining CEZ in 2007 as director of customer service and was later appointed as head of business development. Apostolov has a master's degree in electric systems from the Belorussian National Technical University in Minsc, management diplomas from Open University London and New Bulgarian University, as well as a master's degree in business administration from Plovdiv University.
Rompetrol Bulgaria
Alexander Albin has been appointed chief executive of fuel distributor Rompetrol Bulgaria, replacing Nichita Sorin, who left to become chief executive of Rompetrol Gaz in Romania. Albin was previously chief executive of Rompetrol Georgia. He has more than 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry; prior to joining Romania's oil group Rompetrol in 2008 as an adviser, he oversaw operations at Atyrau refinery in Kazakhstan, owned by Rompetrol's parent company KazMunaiGaz. He previously held top management positions at two other leading Kazakh oil and gas companies.
BASF Bulgaria
Valentina Dikanska is the new general manager of chemical industry giant BASF subsidiary in Bulgaria, taking over from Herbert Fisch, BASF vice president for Southeastern Europe. Dikanska, who started her career as an expert in the Finance Ministry, joined BASF Bulgaria as director of finance and administration in 2002. She becomes the first Bulgarian to hold the top management position in the company in its 40-year history on the Bulgarian market. Dikanska holds a master's degree in economics from the University for National and World Economy in Sofia.
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