PLATTS - Russian state-owned gas producer and transporter Gazprom filed a complaint with the WTO about the legislation in April 2014, arguing Russian infrastructure was being treated unfairly. Since then, constraints on access to OPAL have been lifted, resulting in flows via Nord Stream increasing to full capacity of 155 million cu m/day. The decision is therefore not expected to be market moving.

PLATTS - Natural gas demand from US LNG export terminals is set to double over the next year as a spate of new liquefaction projects now nearing completion enters service.

PLATTS - The Southern Gas Corridor has received a waiver from US sanctions against Iran's energy customers, an expected win for the project, designed to transport 16 Bcm/year of Caspian natural gas to Turkey and southern Europe while bypassing Russia.

REUTERS - “U.S. decisions on sanctions do not affect the legal situation in Switzerland with regard to Iran,” said Fabian Maienfisch of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

REUTERS - Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis wants a decision by the end of 2018 on financing majority state-owned utility CEZ’s multi-billion dollar nuclear power expansion.

IMF - Hungary has achieved several years of strong growth and substantially reduced its external debt. Growth is expected to be around 4 percent in 2018, similar to last year. This strong expansion has been supported by private consumption and EU funds-related investments.

NGW - Commercial conditions for the Southern Corridor’s success have deteriorated as political support for it has grown. Up to 2030, the corridor will most likely remain an insubstantial contributor to Europe’s gas balance.

PLATTS - EDF maintained its annual French nuclear output target of 395 TWh and reported further progress in the regulator-requested Creusot review of its entire nuclear fleet with 34 reactors now cleared and 48 files submitted to the ASN by July 30.

PLATTS - Germany has added over 2 GW of new solar capacity over the past year as the rebound for the sector accelerates and annual additions are on track for the strongest growth since 2013, the latest monthly data from the federal grid regulator showed

NYT - Demand for natural gas — a cleaner-burning fossil fuel than coal or oil — is rising worldwide, and the United States is a growing supplier of liquefied natural gas, or L.N.G. The European Union, meanwhile, wants to diversify its energy supply, which remains somewhat dependent on Russia, with which it has a difficult relationship.

IMF - Near-term growth prospects remain favorable, although less buoyant than in 2017. Real GDP growth is projected to reach 1.8 percent this year and 1.7 percent in 2019, supported by robust investment and solid consumption.

WNN - The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKEs), published today by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), shows low-carbon sources of electricity accounted for a record 50.1% of power generated in the UK in 2017, which is up from 45.6% the previous year. This figure consists of 21.0% from nuclear, 14.8% wind (onshore and offshore), 3.4% solar and 2.3% hydro amongst low-carbon power sources.

PLATTS - "I have not seen this bill, we need to study it from a legal point of view, but based on what the media has written about it, this is, in my opinion an absurd bill that offsets all market rules," Novak told journalists, Prime reported.

REUTERS - Two thirds said they supported the construction of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline because it would help provide Germany with a more reliable supply of natural gas.

МИНЭНЕРГО РОССИИ - «Ключевым вопросом предложения взаимодействия для российской стороны является урегулирование вопросов, которые сегодня находятся в Арбитражном суде. Должен быть восстановлен баланс интересов, чтобы взаимоотношения продолжались после 2020 года», - сказал Александр Новак.