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April 30, 2025
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Join Young Bled Strategic Forum – applications now open

At the end of August, Slovenia will once again host one of the most inspiring international youth gatherings – the Young Bled Strategic Forum (Young BSF), which will take place from August 29 to 31 in Pokljuka. Applications for participation are now officially open.

Young BSF was launched in 2011 as a side event of the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF), bringing together students and young professionals. Since then, it has evolved into an independent and standalone platform.

This year’s edition of the forum is titled ‘What Values?’ and it will focus on exploring the relationship between personal and collective values and their role in shaping global politics.

Applications are open until April 27

Applications for this year’s Young BSF, which will be held from August 29 to 31 in Pokljuka, are open until April 27, and all interested candidates can apply via the form available on the BSF website. Attendance is free, and all costs are covered by the organizers.

The platform is shaped by the participants themselves – young people aged 18 to 35 working in the broadly defined field of world politics. “We seek candidates from diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and regions. Whether you’re an activist, engineer, diplomat, philosopher, entrepreneur, artist, or professional in any field with a strong interest in international politics – if you’re passionate about creating positive change, we encourage you to apply,” the organizers said in the announcement.

The forum will gather around 40 participants from all over the world, offering them a space to exchange ideas, reflect together, and design solutions for today’s global challenges.

After the conclusion of the Young BSF program, participants will also attend the 20th Bled Strategic Forum

The main thematic areas are the crises of the rules-based international order, conflicting value systems of the climate emergency, and the perspectives of the people implementing policies on a global scale. Young leaders, activists, researchers, and professionals will strive to open a dialogue on the key issues of our time.

The forum aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of contemporary social phenomena and to encourage positive change in both local and global communities, through the exchange of ideas and collaborative work on concrete challenges.

Following the Young BSF program, participants will attend the 20th Bled Strategic Forum in Bled on September 1 and 2, where they will take part as panelists, moderators, and audience members.

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April 30, 2025
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North Macedonia’s MEPSO seeks contractor for power line to Albanian border

Transmission system operator MEPSO launched an international tender for the construction of a 400 kV transmission line, the North Macedonian part of a planned interconnection with Albania. The company earlier canceled the contract with Energoinvest, which began building it four years ago.

State-owned MEPSO said the project is of great importance for the energy stability of North Macedonia and regional integration. The tender is for the construction of an overhead transmission line of one hundred kilometers from the Bitola 2 transformer station to the North Macedonian – Albanian border.

The call was issued after the cancellation of the contract under which construction initially began in 2021.

North Macedonia, Albania waiting over three decades for electricity interconnection

The investment is valued at EUR 17 million. The project is funded through a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and grants from the European Union.

The North Macedonian part of the interconnector with Albania is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027

„I regret that for more than three decades, despite political pluralism and democratic changes, there was no institutional courage and vision to establish an electricity connection with Albania. Today, we are correcting this historical omission,” said Burim Latifi, Director-General of MEPSO.

The transmission line is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with construction set to begin in early 2026, according to the country’s electricity transmission system operator (TSO).

The deadline for submitting bids is 45 days, and the selection of the most favorable bidder is expected in the third quarter of 2025, MEPSO added.

Latifi: Energoinvest jeopardized power line project

The company claimed the previous contractor, Energoinvest from Bosnia and Herzegovina, jeopardized the project and public interest through unjustified requests for additional funds and by unilaterally abandoning the site, leading to the termination of the contract.

So far, only a small portion of the planned towers for the transmission line has been constructed.

„We encountered a seriously neglected project. Out of 269 planned foundations for transmission towers, only 24 were completed, clearly showing the lack of seriousness in completing the project,” Latifi stated.

The funds spent so far were used for equipment procurements

Energoinvest has received EUR 5.8 million, of which EUR 2.5 million was recovered through bank guarantees, he added. Latifi clarified that the funds were used for procuring equipment, now owned by MEPSO.

The company pointed out that the power line would be part of the proposed East-West energy corridor, connecting Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro, which is linked with Italy by an undersea cable.

„The construction of this interconnector will position our system as an essential part of European electric power infrastructure, enabling stable participation in regional markets, access to system and balancing services, and providing more secure and economical energy supply for all citizens,” MEPSO states.

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April 30, 2025
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Croatian firm ENNA takes over 87.5 MW solar project in Romania

Croatian energy company ENNA Solar, part of ENNA Group, has signed an agreement with Austria-based Kraftfeld Energy to acquire an 87.52 MW ready-to-build solar power plant project in Romania.

ENNA Solar plans to start construction in the third quarter of 2025, with the solar power plant expected to be fully operational and connected to the grid by the third quarter of 2026, according to a press release from the Croatian company.

“The investment, valued at around EUR 60 million, represents our first large-scale project outside of Croatia and one of our biggest green energy production investments to date,” said Boštjan Napast, President of the Management Board of ENNA Group.

The plant is expected to generate an average of 133 GWh a year

The solar power plant will be built in Giurgiu county, near the town of Mihăilești, 25 kilometers southwest of Bucharest. It would cover an area of 93 hectares, approximately the size of 130 football fields, ENNA stated. Its expected average annual electricity output is 133 GWh.

In the site’s close vicinity, Israel-based Nofar is building the 146 MW Ghimpați solar power plant, while the locations for its 169 MW Iepurești plant and 74 MW Slobozia facility are nearby as well.

Austria’s Kraftfeld Energy, which developed the Mihăilești project, owns and operates solar farms and energy storage systems in several European countries, primarily Romania, Hungary, Croatia, and Austria.

The investment in the solar power plant in Romania aligns with ENNA Group’s 10-year development plan, which includes investments totaling EUR 330 million in solar in Croatia and abroad, according to the press release.

ENNA also develops wind farms, geothermal projects, and battery storage systems

In addition to solar, ENNA also invests in wind farms, battery storage systems, and geothermal energy projects. It already has around 50 MW of completed renewable energy projects or projects in an advanced stage of readiness, as well as approximately 350 MW in various stages of development.

In the geothermal sector, ENNA has two active geothermal power plant projects in Croatia, with a capacity of 20 MW and 15 MW, respectively, representing a total investment of EUR 240 million.

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April 29, 2025
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European Commission launches call for investment in green transition, critical raw materials in Western Balkans

As part of its Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, the European Commission has invited private businesses from the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA), and the region itself to express interest in investing in sectors including the green transition, critical raw materials, sustainable transportation, and digitalization.

The objective is to open a dialogue on concrete investment opportunities and identify ways to overcome related constraints in the Western Balkans region, according to the call for expressions of interest.

Although financial support is not guaranteed, the European Commission could potentially back some projects with its available policy, technical, and financial instruments. It may also facilitate contact with partner financial institutions for potential financial cooperation on eligible projects.

Financial support is not guaranteed, but some projects could be backed by the European Commission or referred to financial institutions

Proposed investments must take place in one or more of the following economies: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The minimum investment threshold is EUR 10 million, and the required participation by the project promoter is at least 15% of the total value of the investment project.

The deadline to submit expressions of interest is May 21

The first phase of the call is open for submissions until May 21, but it may be reopened for subsequent phases, depending on the number and scope of submissions received.

Investment in green transition, critical raw materials, sustainable transportation

The priority areas are based on the strategic priorities of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), focusing on key economic sectors where foreign investment is needed.

In the area of the green transition, investments are required in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and innovative energy technologies in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, foster a circular economy, mitigate climate change, and modernize energy, water, wastewater treatment, and waste management infrastructure, according to the call.

Ensuring environmentally responsible access to critical raw materials

When it comes to critical raw materials, investments are needed to ensure reliable and environmentally responsible access to such materials, in order to support the development of key industries across all supply chain stages, according to the European Commission.

The other areas envisaged by the call are sustainable transportation, including urban mobility; the digital transition, including the roll-out of 5G; integration into the EU industrial supply chains; sustainable tourism; human capital development; and impact finance, including setting up private funds to invest in projects with a strong green and/or social impact.

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April 29, 2025
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KEK issues call for reconstruction of Kosovo A3 coal plant unit

After 55 years of operation, a unit of KEK’s coal-fired power plant near Prishtina in Kosovo* is about to get a makeover, worth EUR 137.3 million. Firms can respond to the prequalification call for the facility’s rehabilitation and modernization by March 3.

Government-controlled Kosovo Energy Corp. (KEK) launched a project for boosting the capacity and efficiency of unit A3 in the Kosovo A thermal power plant. At the same time, emissions of pollutants must be reduced by 55% to 66% and brought in line with the European Union’s rules.

The unit was built in 1970 and now it would be reconstructed for the first time. The utility wrote in the call for prequalification that the investment is estimated at EUR 137.3 million.

The rehabilitation and modernization project aims to extend the operational life of A3 by 20 years. The capacity would be raised to 215 MW from the current range of 120 MW to 140 MW. The facility’s original capacity was 200 MW.

In addition, the selected contractor needs to raise the number of operating hours to 7,700 per year from 5,400. Kosovo A3 so far worked 260,000 hours. Annual output is seen more than doubling to 1.5 TWh.

Reconstructed, the facility will cut coal use in production to 1.15 tons per megawatt-hour from up to 1.6 tons now, according to the assignment.

The emissions of particulate matter – PM particles – need to drop to below 20 milligrams per cubic meter. According to the project, the upper limit for both nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) is 200 milligrams per cubic meter. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided technical support.

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* This designation is without prejudice to positions onstatus and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
April 29, 2025
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Electricity system in Spain, Portugal collapses amid extreme temperature variations

Power was out today throughout Spain and Portugal as well as in Andorra and parts of southern France, in one of the most serious such incidents so far, on a European scale. The European Commission’s Executive Vice President Teresa Ribera and other officials from the EU and the affected countries said there are no indications of sabotage or cyberattack.

REN, the transmission system operator (TSO) of Portugal, said extreme temperature variations inside Spain led to anomalous oscillations in 400 kV lines.

Grid operators and electricity producers are gradually restoring the power supply after a massive outage struck the Iberian peninsula today. Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez convened the National Security Council. It is one of the most serious blackouts in Europe in many years. The outage spread throughout Spain and Portugal.

Power was out in Andorra and, briefly, in parts of southern France. Transportation and telecommunications were heavily affected.

Spanish TSO Red Eléctrica de España called it a “collapse of the Iberian electricity network.” The company said it would take six to ten hours to restore it. Notably, the production system is relying almost completely on photovoltaics and wind farms at the moment, so just a few hours of solar power production remain.

Outage could have originated from power line in France damaged by fire

The outage paralyzed major cities including Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon and caused disturbances in the European grid. The European Commission’s Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition and Commissioner for Competitiveness Teresa Ribera said there were no indications that “any kind of sabotage or cyberattack” was behind the grid collapse.

According to the Government of Portugal, the incident started from outside the country

According to the Government of Portugal, the incident started from outside the country and, apparently, in Spain.

Portuguese transmission system operator REN first suggested that damage to a high-voltage line in southwestern France from a fire was a possible cause. The company later blamed extreme temperature variations inside Spain for anomalous oscillations in 400 kV lines.

Shares of solar, wind power production in Spain breaking records

In the spring and autumn, when there is little to no demand for heating or cooling, electricity grids in most of Europe are sometimes strained from surges in high solar and wind power production, amid a lack of energy storage and flexibility capabilities that would balance the surplus.

On April 16, the Spanish electricity system achieved total coverage for the first time with renewable energy sources. At one point during the day, wind and solar met 100.6% of demand. Then on April 21, solar power generation was equivalent to a record 78.6% of domestic demand for a moment.

Reid: The massive outage occurred while prices are negative in electricity markets across Europe

“Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica has so far blamed a power ‘oscillation’ on the power outage. We still don’t know the cause but it looks like problems at the Spanish-French power interconnector led to the Spanish grid operator islanding their power system and I would say at this point they lost control,” said Gerard Reid, investor and strategic advisor in energy, finance and geopolitics.

It has also proven difficult to restore power with multiple black start (restart) procedures taking place, but the issue is that at the time of the blackout there were no conventional power units in operation, he pointed out. Reid added it makes the restart complicated and stressed that Europe requires enhanced grid-scale battery storage solutions, including for black start capabilities.

He also highlighted the fact that the massive outage occurred while prices are negative in electricity markets across Europe.

Of note, a grid incident last summer left much of the Western Balkans and parts of Croatia out of power for several hours.

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