35% higher energy price for companies in Albania

More than 6,000 businesses in Albania will pay energy prices increased by 15% up to 35% when fees for the distribution service come into effect.

According to Albanian media, Energy Regulatory Entity (ERE) has approved new distribution network tariffs. In addition to the regular price, businesses that are connected to 20 kV and 35 kV network will have to pay a fee for the distribution service to the Electricity Power Distribution System Operator (OSHEE).

This is a step in the electricity market liberalization process in Albania, which started last year. Businesses will be able to buy electricity from the suppliers licensed by ERE. However, they will have to pay fees for the distribution service to OSHEE.

The distribution service fee will come in effect during this year and the first consumers which will be affected are the businesses connected to 35 kV network. These companies will pay energy price of ALL 9.50 (EUR 0.70) and ALL 1.50 (EUR 0.11) per kWh as a fee for the use of the network. According to the sources from OSHEE, everything is ready for the implementation of the new measurement system, so these companies could buy electricity at the open market from February.

While there are 82 businesses connected to 35 kV network, more than 6,000 companies are connected to 20 kV. Their energy bills will be even higher as these businesses will pay energy price of ALL 11 (EUR 0.81) and a fee of ALL 3.90 (EUR 0.29) per kWh. The new measurement system will increase their energy price by 35%. They are expected to access the open electricity market in the second half of the year.

The representatives of OSHEE hope that the consumers will manage to find licensed suppliers which offer lower energy prices. That would make the overall price they have to pay more acceptable. On the other hand, the customers from this group claim that they failed to find energy suppliers who offer electricity at reasonable prices, as Albanian media reported.

According to earlier reports, there are over 80 licensed energy suppliers in Albania. The official data show that the businesses that will be a part of the free market make a total of 15% of consumers’ purchase.