Weekly news:

OIL & PETROCHEMICALS

CZECH REPUBLIC & SLOVAKIA

Czech retail fuel prices mixed; top-selling Natural 95 at CZK 24.18/liter

Prague-listed petrochemical group Unipetrol operating profit in Q4 likely negative – management

Czech oil reserve tanks again full after two months of normal Russian deliveries – pipeline operator

HUNGARY

Hungarian retail gasoline prices to rise HUF 8 per liter this week, diesel up HUF 5 per liter

POLAND

Polish top refiner PKN Orlen to optimize employment, no cost-cutting plan in the works

PRESS: Polish Treasury Ministry to cancel plan to shuffle ownership of oil product pipelines

Polish PKN Orlen’s problems to affect Lithuania’s Mazeikiu Nafta refinery – Lithuanian daily

Polish refiner Grupa Lotos sees PLN 190 mln operating loss in 2008

Poland’s second-largest oil refiner Grupa Lotos sees 2009 result similar to 2007

Polish top fuel firm PKN Orlen expects net loss in Q4, full-year 2008

Polish PKN Orlen group increases oil processing by 35% to 7.06 mln tonnes in Q4 2008

GAS

HUNGARY

Hungarian companies lose HUF 22 bln revenues during gas crisis due to consumption restrictions

POLAND

Russia to address Yamal-Europe-2 project after completing Nord Stream, South Stream

Poland may be forced by Russia’s Gazprom to renegotiate price formula for natural gas – analyst

Global financial crisis may boost Poland’s critical position on Nord Stream – Polish foreign min.

Gazprom should feel responsible for RosUkrEnergo’s contract with Poland – Polish foreign min.

Russia’s Gazprom hints at possibility of additional gas supplies to Polish gas monopolist PGNiG

PRESS: Polish gas monopolist PGNiG may demand compensation from copper miner KGHM

Polish EconMin asks Cabinet to approve negotiations strategy for talks with Russia’s Gazprom

Polish gas pipeline operator Gaz-System to launch interconnector construction study in mid-March

Polish chemical ZA Pulawy expects coal gasification project’s feasibility study within days

Polish gas PGNiG yet to decide value of possible compensation claim against RosUkrEnergo

HEAT, POWER & SEWAGE

CZECH REPUBLIC & SLOVAKIA

PRESS: Czech utility CEZ board to dismiss renewable-energy unit head as wind projects flag

PRESS: Czech utility CEZ may invest CZK 1.2 bln in new geothermal plant in Liberec

PRESS: Czech uranium miner Diamo petitions to extract CZK 500 bln deposit at closed mines

POLAND

Polish power group Enea sees PLN 250 mln in 2008 net profits

Treasury Ministry sees power group PGE’s IPO by May despite poor market conditions

RUSSIA & CIS NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Naftogaz Ukrainy pays Gazprom for gas delivered in Jan.

EU confirms interest in Nord Stream, South Stream projects – Putin

Gazprom may reduce production up to 7% in 2009

Belarus to buy gas in Q1 at ’USD 200 or more’ – Russian ambassador

Gazprom estimates South Stream costs at up to EUR25 bln

South Stream commencement date depends on Serbia – President Parvanov

Medvedev wants quicker start of South Stream construction

Bulgaria supports South Stream, Nabucco – Parvanov

Gazprom Neft closes deal to acquire 51% of Serbian NIS for 400 mln euro

Russia interested in building nuclear power plant in Belarus

Ukraine to pay average gas price of USD 230 this year – Chernomyrdin

CALENDAR

CZECH REPUBLIC & SLOVAKIA

Central European data release schedule – week 7 (Feb. 9-13)

Czech Republic – calendar of upcoming events 09-16/02/2009

Nb: This news report features only the headline of each news.

Agency Interfax