The plan for the elimination of voltage drops until 2025, with extension and reinforcement of the network and cutting technical and commercial losses, is worth EUR 300 million, said George Karagutoff, general director of Kosovo Electricity Distribution and Supply Company JSC.
“It is great satisfaction when this vision does big changes for the good for a whole country and for all its citizens. These changes we started from the first day, but now with this plan, this vision will be implemented in a systematic way in the whole country”, he told the audience at the presentation of the strategic projects. Preparations are underway for the rehabilitation or instalation of 3,500 transformers and the construction of 2,000 kilometres of lines, KEDS said on its website.
Parallel to emergency interventions, the operator conducted analysis to pave the road for systematic investments, the report adds. In cooperation with partners like the government and Energy Regulatory Office (ERO), KEDS hired Swedish company ÅF to devise a development plan for the distribution network. Karagutoff said best technologies and techniques will be employed and that every customer will get quality services.
“We see that KEDS is investing everyday around Kosovo*… The presence of municipality heads today show the importance of this plan. At the same time we have shown that since the privatisation, cash collection has been increased and losses have dropped. This is our common objective and a good step forward,” said Blerand Stavileci (pictured), minister of economic development.
Since 2013 KEDS is owned by the consortium of Turkish companies Çalik and Limak which invested more than EUR 60 million, the press release said.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
