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Foreign companies express their commitment for investments in the construction of electrical power stations in different countries, for example Romania, but the governments must show a real commitment for the deregulation of the markets before the investors insure financing, according the Reuters.
After decades when there was no investment in the energy production, these states intensify the efforts to increase the capacity to cover the local demand and possibly to support the economic growth through exports. The challenge is the renounciation to state control in the sector of production, used as a method to limit the prices and to ensure social stability.
Foreign companies took into consideration all countries in the Balkans but for many Romania offers most opportunities, due to the strategic position and a market with important growing potential. Romania intends to modernize its energy production capacities, owned by the state, after years of delays, but this is possible only with the help of foreign investment.
« There are few countries in the region with the same advantages as Romania. The country has its own oil, gas, coal, enormous potential for renewable energy and is placed strategically in the region with connections to other markets. There is a friendly climate for investors in Romania at the moment ? Unfortunately, no�Frank Hajdinjak, the head of the EON division for Romania said.
This situation did not stop some companies from coming, but the analysts and investors consider that to attract an influx of funds the governments should increase the transparency of prices, speed up the projects approval and clarify the legislative uncertainties.
The crisis of debts in Europe amplified the worries regarding the economic recovery of the region, but the Balkan states had no variant but to continue, as the financing costs could increase and the necessity to develop the infrastructure is critical, the analysts show.
�he companies could delay for some months and it could last more before the cover the costs, but the need to develop the infrastructure in the region is so big that they will continue�Michael LaBelle stated, analyst on the energy domain.
The big markets and rich resources drew investors in the Balkans where the demand is estimated to exceed the production over the next years.
Romania negotiates public-private partnerships worth almost three billion euro according to the minister of economy Adriean Videanu, over the preparations for the construction of two nuclear reactors. The only nuclear power station in Romania is in Cernavoda, and the two reactors ensued 21% of the electricity of the country in 2009. The authorities intend to build two other reactors in Cernavoda.

Among the investors interested to develop projects in Romania are Enel, CEZ, GDF Suez, AES Corporation, China National Electric Equipment Corporation and the Japanese Itochu.Romania wants to obtain 1.2 billion euro and out of the sale or listing in 2010 and 2011 of the minority packages with energy companies. Bulgaria draws a considerable interest in the domain of renewable energy according to the Reuters analysis, as a result of support programmes for projects. CEZ builds a wind park worth one billion euro in southern Romania and Iberdrola Renovables announced they will operate in Romania the biggest wind park before 2017.


Other Balkan states hope to draw funds in the domain of energy, Reuters says. Serbia wants strategic partners to invest nine billion euro in different energy projects in the next five years, while Bosnia-Hertegovina announced they want to draw funds of 2.2 billion dollars for the energy sector. In Albania, the EVN company and the Norwegians from Statkraft will build three hydro power stations worth 950 million euro, after the premier invited foreign companies to develop projects in the domain.