Feed-in-tariff for solar power plants will fall
Monday – 7th March 2011
The government of Iveta Radičová is trying to negotiate with the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (ÚRSO) about possibilities to lower energy prices. The Ministry of Economy is trying to push down prices for electricity distribution. By doing so, prices of food and other commodities could fall too. According to Radičová the state has levers for companies where it has representation.
Iveta Radičová also said that during the era of the previous government the price for electricity in Slovakia rose and is now one of the highest in EU. „But this was caused not by the fact that electricity production costs increased, it is because ÚRSO increased the fee for distribution,”. According to her, the tariff rose by 236 %.
On the other hand, ÚRSO says it does not feel responsible for the rise in the tariff. The Office also refuses that the change in the fee is 236 %, but 134 and that it was caused mainly by connecting photovoltaic source to the grid in 2010.
Privatization of the six heating companies should be realized in two rounds according to Stanislav Janiš, chairman of the parliamentary committee for economy. In the first round companies which have long experience in generation of heat and its distribution for a mainly communal sphere should be selected. „This will ensure that the companies will not end up in hands of financial groups for which the heating companies only mean business, but for credible companies that have good results in this area. In the second round it will only be the price that will decide. For this system we do not need any controls. It will be clean, transparent and professional,” explained Janiš.
A network of charging stations for electro vehicle will be created between Bratislava and Vienna. The infrastructure for quick and normal charging will be located at easily accessible places. The idea is part of a cross-border project on electro-mobility called VIBRATE. Within the project 50 charging stations should be constructed until 2013, whereas at least 8 will be in Bratislava. The project has received financial support from the Program on cross-border cooperation between Slovakia and Austria for the period 2007 -2013. After finishing the preparation phase, approximately more than one million Euro should be invested in the project during the period 2011-2013.
Tuesday – 8th March 2011
Martin Takáč should replace Martin Chren in the function of State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy and Construction. The proposal was presented at the talks of the coalition council by SaS on Monday. Takáč is currently working for the Directorate General for Energy in the European Commission. Takáč should accede to the Ministry after 21st March when Chren becomes deputy in the National Council. State Secretary Martin Chren announced his demission on February 17th.
Prices for electricity could eventually fall even during this year. As chief of the Regulatory Office Jozef Holjenčík stated at the press conference on Tuesday, the prices could fall thanks to the approval of the third liberalization package into Slovak legislative and also due to a smaller interest of investors to connect solar power plants than was expected by the Regulatory Office. „We see space for lowering the prices. In case the third liberalization package is approved, we will have more possibilities to interfere into the structure of costs of distribution companies and transmission networks. The legislation will give us more possibilities to control and influence price setting,” added Holjenčík. In case the measures are approved, the price for electricity distribution and transmission fees which together amount to approximately 32 % of the price for electricity could fall.
Slovakia will have a delay with the implementation of the third liberalization package into Slovak legislative. Transposition of the energy package should be finished by the end of March this year. „The delay is mainly caused by the difficulty of the whole process, which changes the rules across the whole energy sector and the necessity to negotiate with all parties interested in the process,” explained the Ministry of Economy of SR.
Wednesday – 9th March 2011
Ministry of Economy of SR will have a new State Secretary starting of in April. The government approved Kristián Takáč as the new State Secretary on its meeting on Wednesday. The cabinet also gave an official approval to dismiss Martin Chren from the function.
Thursday – 10th March 2011
The first and second block of Nuclear power plant Mochovce (EMO) can generate electricity for at least the upcoming ten years. The Nuclear Regulatory Authority of Slovak Republic issued a license to operate the reactors in Mochovce until 2021. The safety evaluation of the block took more than two years.
Joint stock company Tepláreň Košice (TEKO) will address the previous top managers of the company with the aim to reach an out-of-court agreement in the case of the enormous high compensations. The company was advised to do so by the National Heritage Fund. If they will not reach an agreement, TEKA will file a number of suits which aim will be to protect property and rights of the company.
The Regulatory Office for Network Industries (ÚRSO) is planning another reduction in the feed in tariff for electricity generated by solar power plants. The investors that plan to construct a solar power plant in Slovakia after June 30th this year will have to count with a price guaranty of only 259,17 Euro per 1 MWh. Further more this electricity can only be generated in a photovoltaic device with a total installed capacity not higher than 100 kW which is located at a roof installation or at other places on a building. Those companies that will put their installations into operation in the first half of this year can count with a feed-in tariff of 382 to 387 Euro for every megawatt hour. Those who put up their power plants a year ago even have the right to receive 430 Euro for 1 MWh.
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