Electricity

Kosovo* may buy stake in gas-fired power plant project in Albania

Kosovo stake in gas fired power plant Albania

Photo: Ministry of Economy

Published

June 21, 2022

Country

,

Comments

comments icon

0

Share

Published:

June 21, 2022

Country:

,

Comments:

comments icon

0

Share

Kosovo* and Albania agreed to cooperate on the project for an LNG terminal in Vlora, with the possibility for Kosovo* to invest in the planned gas-fired power plant there.

Kosovo* and Albania held a joint government session in Prishtina and signed two memorandums on cooperation in the energy field. State-owned power utilities Kosovo Energy Corp. (KEK) and KESH agreed to exchange electricity, secure storage and diversify energy sources.

Kosovo* declared the cooperation with Albania a priority in its draft energy strategy

Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania Belinda Balluku (pictured left with her Prime Minister Edi Rama) said the two companies have been successfully cooperating since last winter and that the aim is to overcome the energy crisis as easily as possible. She signed the deals with Kosovo’s Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli (right, with Prime Minister Albin Kurti), who noted the relations with the neighboring country have been declared a top priority in the draft energy strategy until 2031.

Complementary electric power systems

The two electric power systems are complementary. Kosovo A and B, two outdated coal power plants, produce almost all the domestic electricity, while Albania only has hydropower plants, so it can provide backup capacity.

Kosovo* is suffering from huge power import costs as the two units keep breaking down and demand keeps rising. On the other hand, Albania is forced to buy electricity abroad at times of drought. Of note, Kosovo* is planning to add a 250 MW pumped storage hydropower facility for storage.

No need to build gas infrastructure

The other memorandum is for cooperation in the development of a project for a terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Vlora in Albania.

Rizvanolli suggested Kosovo* may buy a share in a planned power plant that would use the fuel or secure a long-term electricity supply contract. The construction of gas pipeline infrastructure and a power plant in Kosovo* would take eight or nine years while this way it may get electricity within two years, in her view. The government suspended a gas pipeline project last year.

Kosovo* has 53 renewable power plant projects in the pipeline with a combined capacity of 670 MW

United States–based Excelerate and ExxonMobil agreed a year ago with Albania to build the LNG terminal.

According to the latest data from the Energy Regulatory Office, Kosovo* has 53 renewable power plant projects waiting for approvals. The combined capacity is 670 MW, Kosovo.Energy reported. Plans for seven hydropower plants including the pumped storage unit account for 283.5 MW.

There are 36 solar power projects with 102.3 MW overall, compared to nine wind power plants in the pipeline – 279 MW. Finally, one biomass power plant with 5.2 MW is in the pipeline. In its draft energy strategy, Kosovo* set a 1.4 GW target for renewables for 2031.

* 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.
Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

belgrade energy forum bef 2025 western balkans region cooperation

BEF 2025: Regional cooperation can facilitate energy transition, energy security

22 May 2025 - Belgrade Energy Forum featured representatives from the governments of Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary, the Republic of Srpska, and Serbia, and from UNECE

heating plant ljubljana energetika te tol

Slovenia keeps phasing out coal as key heating plant boosts natural gas share to 60%

22 May 2025 - TE-TOL, the main district heating provider in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, has taken over a newly built gas-steam unit

new york equinor empire wind

Equinor resumes New York offshore wind project of 810 MW after stop-work order lifted

21 May 2025 - The project's first phase, the 810 MW Empire Wind 1, is expected to generate electricity for some 500,000 homes in New York

Romania commission offshore wind study 3 GW 2035

Romania to commission offshore wind study, targeting 3 GW by 2035

21 May 2025 - Romania is receiving expressions of interest for a study identifying areas in the Black Sea for concessions for offshore wind farms