Power link to Albania to be financed by EBRD

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development published a project summary document in which it states it is considering to extend a senior corporate loan of up to EUR 40 million to MEPSO, Electricity Transmission System Operator of Macedonia, to fund the country’s part of the transmission line with Albania.

The project entails the construction of electricity transmission infrastructure from Bitola to the Albanian border, with a substation at Ohrid and the introduction of smart grid components. This is the missing link in the initiative to establish a corridor between Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro and Italy, the document said. The section between Bulgaria and Macedonia has been completed. Albania and Montenegro are connected by a new 400 kV line and the construction of a submarine cable between Italy and Montenegro is underway, supported in Montenegro by the Lastva–Pljevlja line project, EBRD stated. The project is a key link for the integration of Europe’s electricity markets, the paper adds.

The Macedonia–Albania transmission line is one of European Union’s priority projects, expected to receive an investment grant from the IPA 2015 programming exercise amounting to EUR 12 million, EBRD added. This includes EUR 6 million for MEPSO’s equity commitment and EUR 3 million to finance smart grid components.