Improved efficiency will be the focus of investments in the region. Efforts will be made to achieve power generation at rates competitive to those offered across the European Union. Moreover, to meet the increasing demand for electricity, aging and inefficient equipment will need to be replaced, even as the generation of additional capacity becomes critical.
Historically, the main challenge in the Central and Eastern Europe steam and gas turbines market has been the lack of investment funds. The situation has changed dramatically in recent years. Most countries in the region have become members of the European Union, electricity prices have increased and the investment banking system has showed significant improvement.
"The creation of the European internal electricity market will compel power plants to boost the efficiency of their electricity generation in order to be more competitive," notes Mr. Stepien. "Since most of the equipment in the region was installed in the 60s and 70s, a majority of the turbines will need to be replaced in the immediate future."
Establishing a local presence and building long-term relationships with power plants in the region remain key to succeeding in the Central and Eastern European energy sector. Global steam and gas turbines providers need to focus on building a reliable reference list that addresses local end-user requirements.
