Italy gives EUR 16.5 million for electricity system

Ministry of Energy and Industry and the Italian government signed a memorandum of cooperation for EUR 16.5 million, as part of projects from previous financial programs supported by Italy in the energy sector. The agreement was signed by the minister of energy and industry Damian Gjiknuri and the Italian ambassador to Albania Massimo Gaiani, Albanian Telegraphic agency said. Heads of Transmission System Operator (OST) and electricity distribution operator Oshee also attended the ceremony.

This grant will be invested in the transmission and distribution aspects of electric power and the increase of efficiency in this sector, portal Invest in Albania reported. Albanian minister stressed the importance of the support from the Italian government in the implementation of several projects in the electrical energy sector in the country. „We will invest in the towns of Himara and Saranda in the transmission and distribution aspects, in order to improve the network in these touristic areas,” according to Gjiknuri.

In turn, the Italian ambassador Massimo Gaiani declared: „With this grant we close projects which we started several years ago, at a total worth of EUR 93 million”. This grant will empower the energy potential in southern areas and will expand the data control system in all substations of 110 kV.

Earlier, Gjiknuri inspected works on construction of a new electricity control and dispatch centre and OST’s headquarters. The EUR 23 million endeavour is part of a series of projects financed through a loan by the Italian Development Cooperation. Works are expected to be completed this autumn. The project includes installation of a Scada/EMS system, telecommunication system, laying optical fibres, adoption of the plants to include all production and power transmission facilities, as well as substations.