Photo: Pvproductions on Freepik
In the first eight months of this year, Albania added two solar power plants of an overall 150 MW and a hydropower facility of 48.9 MW to its transmission grid.
Hydropower plants account for almost all electricity production in Albania, but the share of photovoltaics is gradually growing. Several major solar parks already online – the Karavasta facility is the biggest in the Western Balkans. Conversely, there is not a single wind turbine in operation in the country.
According to the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERE), renewable electricity plants of 225 MW in total capacity have been put into operation in the first eight months of this year.
Project Blue completed
Five solar parks came online, with 156 MW altogether. The largest one is Sunny Side Solar (100 MW). The domestic Kastrati Group, which is active in construction and the oil business, built the facility in the Fier area in western Albania.
The Spv Blue 2 solar power plant has 50 MW. It is a joint project of Blessed Investment and Matrix Konstruksion. The location is in Sheq Marinas in Fier. Their Blue 1 PV park, in the same area, is the first fully privately financed solar park in Albania. The two companies commissioned it last year.
Sunny Side Solar and Blue 2 both began operating in August, as did one of the three remaining new units, of 2 MW each. The other two started generating electricity in April and June.
Gostimat hydropower complex launches production
Of the overall 69.2 MW in new hydropower plants, the Gostimat facility has 48.9 MW. Notably, ERE’s earlier updates show the project was for a complex of seven units on the river Gostima in the Shkumbin basin. The operator is Egnatia Hydropower.
MC Inerte’s project firm M.C. Energji Gojan built its 15 MW hydropower plant Gojan in the Puka area in northern Albania.
In addition, the regulatory body said nine hydropower plants of 26.4 MW in combined capacity have switched to the free market.
The country’s total electricity generation capacity was 3.2 GW at the end of last year.
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