Albania freezes new hydropower projects on environmental concerns

Albanian Energy and Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku has said she will freeze work on new hydropower plants (HPPs) and launch an investigation into 182 licenses issued to build 440 HPPs. The announcement follows a meeting with residents of Gramsh, who are protesting against the construction of two HPPs on the Devoll river. The plants are […]

Electricity February 5, 2019

Power utility EPS gets energy permit to build its 1st wind farm

State power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) has obtained the energy permit for the construction of its first wind farm. The energy permit was issued on December 31, 2018, according to a press release from EPS. The construction of the Kostolac wind farm is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2019. The investment is […]

Renewables January 3, 2019

Montenegro to start phasing out feed-in tariffs for renewables in 2020

The Government of Montenegro has decided to start gradually reducing feed-in tariffs for renewable energy sources as of January 1, 2020, and announced it will continue to promote the construction of wind farms, solar power plants, and large hydropower plants without guaranteed incentive prices, Montenegrin media reported. The government has adopted regulations that will put […]

Renewables December 25, 2018

Albania’s power generation quadruples in Q3

Albania’s net domestic production of electricity in the third quarter of 2018 almost quadrupled, reaching 1,630 GWh, compared to 418 GWh of electricity generated in Q3 2017, which could boost the country’s economic growth to 4% this year. According to the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), public hydropower plants (HPPs) contributed 80%, while independent HPPs […]

Electricity November 23, 2018

Hidroelectrica to have EUR 800 million budget for HPP upgrades by 2020

State-owned power utility Hidroelectrica will have EUR 800 million at its disposal by 2020 to modernize the hydropower plants (HPPs) it currently operates, according to Romania’s draft Energy Sector Strategy for the period 2018-2030 with projections until 2050, local media reported. The strategic document also envisages EUR 2.5 billion in investments for completing new hydropower […]

Electricity September 28, 2018

Hidroelectrica to forge cooperation with Verbund

State-owned Hidroelectrica plans to sign a cooperation agreement with Austria’s electricity producer Verbund, Romanian media reported. The approval of the cooperation agreement between the biggest power producer in Romania and the largest provider of electricity in Austria is on the agenda of the next General Shareholders Meeting planned to take place in October, Romania’s portal […]

Electricity September 19, 2018