TIRANA, Aug. 18 – Konfindustria, an association of Albanian businesses, warned the government that proposed higher prices for electricity would negatively affect the country’s life.
The Albanian Electro-Energy Corporation, or KESH, has asked the Energy Regulatory Entity, the highest institution in the sphere, to increase energy prices by 60-70 percent in an effort to cope with the higher prices in the regional market (the government imports some 8 million kWh from within the region and produces only 5 million kWh a day) and also the lacks expertise in collecting payments from consumers.
Konfindustria said higher energy prices would result in higher prices for all products, which will lack competitiveness with those that may be imported from other countries.
Many sectors will be negatively affected such as the production and services industries.
Konfindustria further stated business should not be made to compensate the technical and non-technical losses KESH has in its distribution network.
KESH’s poor management will be another burden on ‘good’ consumers, those that normally pay while many other consumers, mainly individuals, do not pay at all.
“It is morally unacceptable that at the time of this mass lack of power supply to discuss the issue of increasing the power price,” said a statement of the association.
The Albanian industries need and ask for a non-stop power supply with proper technical standards. “Only after that is secured could we discuss hiking the power price,” they said.
