Solar, wind projects of over 10 GW in Albania await grid access

Albania’s Transmission System Operator (OST) said in its report for 2023 that developers of 133 wind and solar power projects applied for grid connections. Their total planned capacity is just under 10.5 GW. However, the state-owned company signed only three contracts.

Wind and solar power plant projects in Albania have by far outstripped planned hydropower investments, as evident from grid connection requests. Last year there were 140 applications for 10.86 GW in total, according to OST.

Photovoltaics accounted for more than half – developers submitted 83 requests for an overall 5.62 GW while only two grid connections were signed, the annual report reveals. There were 50 applications for wind power projects, for 4.87 GW in total, and one contract was signed.

The remainder was hydropower, with five applications for 64 MW and three contracts, and two for thermal power plants of a combined capacity of 300 MW. No contract was signed in the latter category, OST said.

The state-owned company added that some of the winners of Albania’s first wind power auction, held last year, obtained preliminary grid connection approvals and reapprovals. Voltalia’s 75 MW project is called South Wind Park. A consortium of Güriş (40%), Mogan Enerji (40%) and BRD Energy (20%) intends to build the Kryevidh facility of 74.4 MW, according to OST. The third developer is Verbund Green Power Albania, the document adds, with a project also called Kryevidh, of 72.6 MW in capacity.

Several interconnection projects underway

Following an investment in Koman, two more transmission lines with Montenegro can be built, OST’s Chief Executive Officer Skerdi Drenova told Monitor.

Koman, a substation near a hydropower plant of the same name, is at the end of the 400 kV interconnection, built in 2016, that leads to thermal power plant Kosovo B near Prishtina in Kosovo*. The link with Montenegro would go from another hydroelectric station, Vau i Dejës, where a new substation is planned.

Two new lines are also planned for the Fierza-Prizren interconnection with Kosovo. OST is conducting a feasibility study for the Fier-Arachtos interconnector with Greece, Drenova said. He added that the transmission line connecting Albania with North Macedonia is due for completion in June 2026.

Albania had positive export-import balance of 0.9 TWh in 2023

OST’s report shows a rise in domestic electricity output in 2023 of 26% to 8.24 TWh. Demand in Albania amounted to 7.3 TWh.

The country imported a total of 1.9 TWh, against 2.8 TWh in exports.