Center for Strategic Studies of Eurasia

    Energy

    Supply security, transition pressure and the geopolitics of pipelines, storage and price.

    Europe & RussiaCaspianChina & Asia-PacificCentral AsiaSouth CaucasusTurkey & Middle East

    Publications

    • ReportsOct 22, 2026

      Ukraine Presents EUR 3.4 Billion Winter Infrastructure Hardening Plan to EU Donors with IEA Coordination

      Ukraine's government presented its Winter Infrastructure Hardening Plan 2026-27 to EU donors on 22 October, requesting EUR 3.4 billion for distributed power generation, underground cable routing for critical transmission lines, and mobile transformer stockpiles. The International Energy Agency is coordinating the technical assessment and delivery logistics for the package, which reflects lessons from the two preceding winters in which concentrated attacks on grid nodes caused widespread supply interruptions.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 20, 2026

      Azerbaijan Finalises COP30 Energy Plan with 3 GW Caspian Offshore Wind and Germany Green Hydrogen Deal

      Azerbaijan's government finalised its COP30 national energy transition plan on 20 October 2026, committing to 30 percent renewable energy in its electricity mix by 2030 and 3 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity in the Caspian Sea. Baku simultaneously signed a green hydrogen export framework agreement with Germany covering potential deliveries of up to 2 billion cubic metres of hydrogen-equivalent annually by 2032. The plan comes as Azerbaijan prepares its COP30 presidency legacy in Brasília following its hosting of COP29 in November 2024.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 19, 2026

      EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Enters Full Operational Phase Across Five Industrial Sectors

      The European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism entered its full operational phase on 1 October 2026, requiring importers of steel, cement, aluminium, fertilisers, and hydrogen to purchase CBAM certificates corresponding to the embedded carbon price of their goods. The mechanism, which applies a charge equivalent to the EU Emissions Trading System price (currently EUR 72 per tonne of CO2), marks the world's first large-scale carbon border adjustment. First compliance reports and certificate purchases are due 31 January 2027.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 19, 2026

      Lithuania's Klaipėda LNG Terminal Signs 5-Year US Supply Contract as Baltic Energy Independence Deepens

      Lithuania's floating storage and regasification unit Independence at Klaipėda has signed a five-year liquefied natural gas supply agreement with US exporter Venture Global LNG at rates reported to be approximately 15 percent below European spot LNG prices, reflecting Venture Global's commercial strategy of locking in long-term offtake agreements for its Louisiana export facilities. The contract provides the Baltic region with price-stable gas supply through 2031 and reinforces the region's strategic shift away from Russian pipeline gas.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 19, 2026

      India Crosses 100GW Solar Capacity Milestone, Reshaping Its Electricity Generation Mix

      India's Central Electricity Authority confirmed on October 19 that cumulative installed solar photovoltaic capacity has crossed 100 gigawatts, a milestone reached six months ahead of the original 2030 National Solar Mission trajectory. The landmark was achieved with the synchronisation of the Rajasthan Ultrascale Solar Park's final 3GW phase. Solar now accounts for 18 percent of India's installed electricity capacity and supplies 14 percent of annual generation, up from 4 percent in 2021. The government revised its 2030 solar target upward to 500GW.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 18, 2026

      EU-Central Asia Green Energy Partnership Launched at Samarkand Forum

      The Central Asia + EU Ministerial Forum in Samarkand announced the EU-Central Asia Green Energy Partnership on October 18, a framework designed to develop 10 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan by 2030 and enable green hydrogen export to Europe via the Trans-Caspian Corridor. The partnership involves 4.5 billion euros in EU-backed financing and represents the first structured attempt to link Central Asian renewable resource potential with European energy transition requirements.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 18, 2026

      Moldova Faces Gas Supply Emergency as Russian Transit Disruption Triggers EU Energy Package

      Moldova declared a 30-day energy emergency on October 18 after Gazprom halted gas deliveries through the Transdniestrian transit corridor, citing a disputed debt calculation that Moldova's government contests. The European Commission activated its Energy Security Solidarity Mechanism within 24 hours, releasing an emergency package of 180 million euros and directing Romania and Slovakia to increase gas reverse flows. The situation threatens heating supply for Moldova's winter season and tests the EU's ability to protect its newest candidates from energy coercion.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 18, 2026

      Azerbaijan Gas Exports to Europe Hit Record 15 Billion Cubic Metres as Southern Corridor Expands

      Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR confirmed on October 18 that gas deliveries to European markets via the Southern Gas Corridor reached 15 billion cubic metres in the first nine months of 2026, a record pace that puts annual deliveries on course to surpass the 20 bcm threshold for the first time. The expansion follows the completion of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline's southern compressor upgrade and increased offtake agreements with Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania. EU energy officials describe Azerbaijan as a strategic partner in post-Russian gas diversification.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 17, 2026

      Romania's Neptun Deep Gas Field Achieves First Commercial Production, Opening Path to 2028 Export

      Romania's Neptun Deep offshore natural gas field in the Black Sea has achieved first commercial gas production, with OMV Petrom and Romgaz beginning deliveries of approximately 1 billion cubic metres annually in initial phase output. The field, one of Europe's largest undeveloped gas discoveries, is projected to reach peak production of 4.5 billion cubic metres per year by 2028, at which point Romania is expected to become a net gas exporter to neighbouring countries and contribute to European supply diversification.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 17, 2026

      Russia Commissions Yamal LNG Train 4, Expanding Arctic Energy Output Despite Sanctions

      Russia's Novatek announced on October 17 the commissioning of Yamal LNG Train 4 at the Sabetta terminal in the Yamal Peninsula, adding 5.5 million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas capacity. The train was completed using predominantly domestically sourced technology after Western sanctions blocked the original equipment suppliers. It represents the first large-scale liquefaction train built without Western plant technology since the Soviet period. LNG produced at Yamal is sold primarily to Asian markets under long-term contracts with Chinese and Indian buyers.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 17, 2026

      TAPI Pipeline Construction Resumes After Three-Year Pause, Reviving Turkmenistan's Export Options

      Construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline resumed on October 17 after a three-year suspension, with a groundbreaking ceremony in Mary Province attended by Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and representatives from the TAPI Pipeline Company consortium. The restart, backed by a revised financing package including contributions from the Asian Development Bank and the UAE's sovereign wealth fund, covers the Afghan section of the route. Security arrangements in Taliban-governed Afghanistan remain the pipeline's primary operational risk.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 17, 2026

      Czechia Completes Nuclear Power Expansion Contract With Westinghouse for Two AP1000 Reactors at Dukovany Site

      Czechia's state energy company ČEZ signed a final investment contract with Westinghouse Electric Company on 2 September 2026 for the construction of two AP1000 nuclear reactors at the Dukovany site in South Moravia. The contract, valued at CZK 420 billion (approximately EUR 17.5 billion), marks the largest infrastructure investment in Czech history and will add 2,200 MW of nuclear capacity, replacing coal generation scheduled for retirement by 2033.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 17, 2026

      Germany Passes Landmark Energy Security Act Accelerating LNG Terminal Expansion and Hydrogen Import Infrastructure

      Germany's Bundestag passed the Energy Security Acceleration Act on 10 October 2026, clearing regulatory hurdles for four new floating LNG terminals in the North Sea and authorising federal co-investment in hydrogen import pipelines from Norway and the Netherlands. The legislation reflects Berlin's shift from a demand-side approach to active supply-side infrastructure policy following the 2022–2024 supply disruptions.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 16, 2026

      Portugal Achieves First Monthly 100% Renewable Electricity Record in European Grid History

      Portugal's national electricity grid operator REN reported that the country's electricity system ran entirely on renewable generation for the full month of September 2026, producing 4,890 GWh against consumption of 4,420 GWh and exporting the 470 GWh surplus to Spain and Morocco. Hydropower contributed 46 percent of generation, wind 38 percent, and solar 12 percent. The achievement marks the first time a European country with a fully interconnected grid has operated on 100 percent renewables for an entire calendar month.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 16, 2026

      Moldova Eliminates Russian Gas Dependency After Last Direct Supply Through Ukraine Transit Ends

      Moldova has fully eliminated its dependence on Russian natural gas following the termination of the last remaining direct supply pathway through Ukraine, with the country's entire gas demand now met through the Romanian interconnector and the Iași-Chișinău pipeline. The transition, which ended Moldova's decades-long exposure to supply interruptions and political leverage through energy pricing, was completed through a combination of EU-funded infrastructure investment, Romanian gas supply agreements, and demand reduction measures.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 16, 2026

      Portugal Achieves 90 Percent Renewable Electricity, Setting European Milestone

      Portugal's national grid operator REN confirmed on October 16 that renewable energy sources — wind, hydro, and solar — collectively supplied 90.2 percent of domestic electricity consumption in the first nine months of 2026, the highest sustained share in Portuguese grid history. The milestone is attributed to record offshore wind output from the Viana do Castelo floating wind farm cluster and the completion of large-scale solar installations in the Alentejo region. Portugal now plans to export clean energy to Spain and France via expanded interconnection.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 15, 2026

      Turkmenistan Extends Central Asia–China Gas Pipeline Contract Through 2040, Deepening Energy Dependency on Beijing

      Turkmenistan and China signed a fifteen-year extension to the Central Asia–China gas pipeline transit agreement on October 15, 2026, committing Ashgabat to deliver 65 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually to China through 2040. The deal deepens Turkmenistan's near-total economic dependence on China as its sole major export market and was accompanied by a 3 billion dollar Chinese loan for pipeline maintenance and upstream field development.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 15, 2026

      Greece Advances Eastern Mediterranean Energy Hub Ambitions With New LNG and Hydrogen Export Agreements

      Greece signed a framework agreement with the European Commission and three major energy companies on October 15, 2026 to expand its LNG regasification and re-export infrastructure, positioning the country as a critical transit point for diversified gas flows into the Balkans and Central Europe. The agreement includes provisions for hydrogen export corridors and offshore wind development in partnership with Cyprus and Israel.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 14, 2026

      Baltic States Complete Synchronisation with European Grid, Severing Last Electrical Tie to Russia

      Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania completed their synchronisation with the Continental European electrical grid on October 14, 2026, formally disconnecting from the Soviet-era BRELL ring that had kept their power networks operationally linked to Russia and Belarus for over three decades. The milestone, achieved ahead of schedule and under budget relative to original projections, marks the definitive end of Baltic energy dependence on Russian-controlled infrastructure.

      Energy

    • ReportsOct 13, 2026

      Kazakhstan Requests OPEC+ Output Ceiling Review as Tengiz Expansion Boosts Production by 260,000 Barrels Per Day

      Kazakhstan formally requested a review of its OPEC+ production ceiling at a technical committee meeting on October 13, 2026, citing the completion of the Tengizchevroil Future Growth Project that has increased Tengiz field output by approximately 260,000 barrels per day. The request creates tension with Saudi Arabia and Russia, which have insisted on strict quota compliance from all producers including those with legitimate capacity increases.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 9, 2026

      NTPC submits feasibility reports for three nuclear sites to India's Atomic Energy Commission

      On 9 October 2026, Indian Infrastructure reported that NTPC Limited had submitted detailed feasibility reports for three greenfield nuclear sites in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha to the Atomic Energy Commission. Each site is designed to support between 2 and 4 GW of capacity, forming the opening regulatory step toward NTPC's target of 30 GW of nuclear power across 14 states by 2047.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 8, 2026

      Six Caspian leaders endorse cross-sea green energy corridor at Awaza on 8 October

      The first six-country consultative summit of Central Asian heads of state and Azerbaijan, held on 8 October 2026 in Awaza, Turkmenistan, signed a Joint Statement and regulatory documents formalising the expanded format and endorsed a Caspian Green Energy Transmission Corridor. The corridor, to be built jointly by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, envisages a direct-current subsea cable of 350 to 400 kilometres across the Caspian and converter substations in Aktau and Baku, feeding into a broader Caspian–Black Sea–Europe link with a total confirmed capacity of 3,900 MW.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 5, 2026

      Germany's 250 million euros lands in Ukraine's energy fund as Kyiv drafts controlled gas exports

      Interfax-Ukraine reported that on 5 October 2026 an additional 250 million euros from Germany was credited to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, taking Berlin's energy support to about 807 million euros. Naftogaz signed a protection and storage memorandum with Siemens Energy the same day. On 6 October the government published plans for controlled export of 15 per cent of domestic gas output.

      Energy

    • Policy briefsOct 2, 2026

      TAPI is about to reach Herat without a signed gas contract

      Afghan officials report 122.3 km of the 153 km TAPI route through Herat Province laid as of 15 September, with commissioning claimed within months. No sale has been agreed, and no timetable or financing exists for any stretch south of Herat.

      Energy

    Research programmes

    • Energy transition

      Energy security, renewable transitions, supply chains, and the geopolitical implications of energy markets.