Energy Blast – Feb 23, 2010

Bulgaria’s finance minister Simeon Dyankov says he will not authorize a €2.0 billion state-guaranteed loan from Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom towards the financing of constructing the Belene nuclear power plant.  ‘Finland was the most vocal in voicing objections to the Nord Stream proposal, raising specific environmental issues and making clear that they would block the programme,‘ says a chief strategist at Uralsib. ‘The rhetoric changed as soon as Russia agreed to suspend… [higher] timber tariffs.‘  The UK’s largest energy companies are under pressure to cut prices following news of massive profits.  The US Department of Energy has announced that it will make a conditional loan of $1.37 billion to solar thermal company BrightSource Energy.