Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ISTANBUL63
2009-02-10 08:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Istanbul
Cable title:  

CONTINUING U.S. ROLE IN ASSISTING BLACK SEA

Tags:  ENRG AJ AM ENIV GG TU 
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RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000063 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT, PLEASE PASS DOE FOR TILLER AND USAID FOR ICHORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: ENRG AJ AM ENIV ENRG GG TU
SUBJECT: CONTINUING U.S. ROLE IN ASSISTING BLACK SEA
REGIONAL ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION

REF: 08 ISTANBUL 344

Classified By: Deputy Principal Officer Sandra Oudkirk; Reason 1.5 (d)
.


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000063

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT, PLEASE PASS DOE FOR TILLER AND USAID FOR ICHORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2019
TAGS: ENRG AJ AM ENIV ENRG GG TU
SUBJECT: CONTINUING U.S. ROLE IN ASSISTING BLACK SEA
REGIONAL ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION

REF: 08 ISTANBUL 344

Classified By: Deputy Principal Officer Sandra Oudkirk; Reason 1.5 (d)
.



1. (SBU) Summary: Members of the ad hoc working group of
experts on electrical networks (AHWGEEN) of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) welcomed U.S. assistance in
assessing the capability for BSEC nations to engage in
regional electricity transmission. On January 29 USAID Senior
Energy Advisor Jamshid Heidarian and USEA Program Manager
William Polen presented the results of the first phase and
the objectives of the second phase to the AHWGEEN. Heidarian
said that he wanted to host an experts/donors, conference in
the fall to attract financial support for the project,s
recommendations. Representatives from Azerbaijan and Turkey
presented to AHWEEGN a potential joint project--with USAID
and USEA support--for an energy corridor through
Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On January 29, Heidarian and Polen presented to
AHWGEEN in Istanbul the accomplishments of Phase I of the
Black Sea Regional Transmission Planning Project in Istanbul.
Note: the BSEC Secretariat welcomed the first phase of the
USAID/USEA project at an earlier AHWGEN meeting in June 2008,
calling it &an exemplar8 (reftel) End Note. Polen told
AHWGEEN a regional transmission working group was established
to evaluate the networks, abilities to integrate with each
other and the region. Eight national models were developed,
29 engineers were trained in steady state and dynamic
modeling, and an inventory of 129 network reinforcement
projects was presented. Analysis from Phase I found four
weak points the network: 1) Between Georgia and Turkey in the
winter and summer, 2) Turkey and Bulgaria in the winter, 3)
Romania and Moldova in the winter and summer, and 4) Russia
and Georgia and the winter and summer. Also, analysis from
Phase I concluded the "southern Caucasus is the weakest
region and the most unstable on the Black Sea network",
particular the line between Hopa, Turkey and Batumi, Georgia.


3. (SBU) Polen said objectives of Phase II are to update the
2010 model to align it with confirmed infrastructural
investments within the member countries. Also Phase II
included additional scenarios, including a summer maximum
peak load scenario reflecting changing energy consumption
patterns within the region. Another objective of Phase II is
to conduct training on financial and economic of national and
regional transmission projects. The Phase II report should
be released this summer, according to Polen.


4. (SBU) Heidarian reported to AHWGEEN that USAID will likely
sponsor a donors and experts, conference in the fall to
help finance many of the projects stemming from their
recommendations. Heidarian told us in private that USAID was
considering either Budapest or Istanbul for the site of the
conference. Heidarian indicated the annual meeting of the
IMF/World Bank scheduled to occur in Istanbul on Oct 4-8
might be fortuitous since many of the same people he would
invite to the USAID conference would be in one place. He
suggested to us the possibility of hosting the USAID
conference within the same time period of the IMF/World Bank
meeting.


5. (C) A potential USAID/USEA project was presented by Azeri
representative Nurali Yusifbayli, to create an
"energy-bridge" through Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey
(AGT). The construction of a joint Union for Coordinating of
Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) synchronous zone between
the three countries was considered a "medium-term
perspective". Gul Okcan, Turkish Electricity Transmission
Corporation (TEIAS) told AHWGEEN participants that meetings
held between the three AGT counties and the USAID and USEA
representatives went well earlier in the week and the project
appeared to be going forward. Responding to questions from
the BSEC Deputy Secretary General Altai Efendiev, Okcan was
unsure if AGT should be a BSEC project. Polen told us in
private that Armenia was purposely left out of the AGT since
the Azeri government made it clear that they would walk away
from the project if Armenia was included.


ISTANBUL 00000063 002 OF 002



6. (SBU) Comment: The Black Sea Regional Transmission
Planning Project is an example of positive results from U.S.
involvement into BSEC that also contributes to regional
cooperation between Black Sea counties outside the margins of
BSEC. The analysis conducted by USAID and USEA facilitated
greater technical interaction between the BSEC counties,
which contributed to the planning of an energy corridor that
runs between Azerbaijan Georgia, and Turkey.
Wiener