MINISTRY OF THE ECONOMY
Ref. Ares(2021)1651752 - 05/03/2021
Energy Directorate
THE REPUBLIC OF
www.mg.gov.si, e: xx.xx@xxx.xx
SLOVENIJA
Savska cesta 3, 1000 Ljubljana,
P: +386 1 400 33 41, F: 01 400 33 48
Ljubljana, 31.03.2009
Public consultation on the Green Paper
"Towards a Secure, Sustainable and Competitive European Energy Network"
Slovenia favorably welcomes the Green Paper "Towards a Secure, Sustainable and
Competitive European Energy Network", made public on 13 November 2008. We strongly
support the Commission's realization that the European Union has to take a pro-active
approach to energy networks.
In the Second Strategic Energy Review Commission notes that the EU will be unable to
meet its climate and energy policy goals without the new and improved energy grids. The
Green Paper presents views on how to improve the existing instruments of promotion
(funding) expansion and development of (trans-European energy networks - TEN-E) of
energy networks, and also mentions the development of a new strategic approach, which
would replace the existing instrument for TEN-E.
Slovenia agrees with the findings of the Commission, the TEN-E has been designed to cope
with today's energy challenges and it is also not in line with the new energy policy, internal
market, research policy and foreign policy. Therefore TEN-E Guidelines should be amended
in the direction of achieving the objectives of 20-20-20 and the additional objectives of
security, solidarity, sustainability and competitiveness of supply and extend the scope of
gas, oil, biogas and transport of carbon dioxide (CCS technology). The EU should act
directly on cross-border lines, and get involved in setting goals for national and regional
policies, in particular in line with the 20-20-20 objectives. Research and demonstration
projects should be targeted specifically towards the operation of a European electricity grid
with a high share of renewable energy.
The main barrier to the development of a European grid is the lack of public-private
partnerships on the basis of long-term plans. Energy policy should not follow developments,
it should define them. The design of the TEN-E should be guided by the market, ENTSO and
ACER. Priority projects must be included in the national infrastructure plans and priorities,
Member States should, prior to obtaining the TEN-E support take appropriate national
measures to ensure the timely conclusion. To the extent that these measures are not
sufficient and the procedures for planning and approval time is delayed, it should be allowed
the possibility of intervention by the Commission in determining the agent-coordinator, as
this solution has shown its effectiveness in several cases (e.g., the electricity connection of
France and Spain, and Poland and Lithuania). The EU should spend much more effort to
prevent local planning disputes by linking up impact assessments to involve local
communities at an early stage in TEN projects. Dissemination of information and exchange
of good practices between Member States can also help to successful execution of large
projects
Slovenia agrees with the proposed five priority projects of the Second Strategic Energy
Review, but the key is issue of financing. It is necessary to consider whether the existing
TEN-E budget, together with other internal customized financial instruments (FP7,
Structural Funds, Cohesion Fund) and the participation of European banks the EIB and the
EBRD ensures their implementation. Otherwise, Slovenia agrees with the Commission that
the instrument for TEN-E is necessary to upgrade as soon as possible and replaced it with a
new instrument, and as closely as possible to connect to external financial instruments of
the EU (e.g. the World Bank loan). We believe also that it is necessary to the European
industrial initiative on the electricity network is established in parallel with the initiatives of
the CCS, and wind power, which are in the SET Plan identified as priority initiatives.
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