692 mln euros of energy projects in 7 months

TIRANA, August 16 – Albanian and foreign companies have filed during this year requests to build 51 hydropower plants and 8 wind farms, an investment of 692 million euros with an installed capacity of 590 MW, the Energy Minister says.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Energy Minister Dritan Prifti said the ministry had signed contracts for the construction of 19 hydropower plants during the first seven months of this year while 32 requests were in the tender or contract negotiation process.
The investment on the small hydropower plants under concession contracts is estimated at 258 million euros, with installed capacity of 215 MW.
Meanwhile, the wind energy projects, worth 434 million euros are expected to have a production capacity of 375 MW.
Inviting Albanian and foreign companies to participate in coming energy tenders, minister Prifi said “energy investments are currently among the most profitable in Albania, because of the fact that the sale of produced energy is guaranteed by government under a law at a profitable price which eliminates the investment risk for the lenders, mainly banks.”
Prifti also said companies could now benefit from European Union funds to invest on renewable energy in countries such as Albania.
The minister said some 30 hydropower plants are currently under construction, of which 12 will be ready and start operation by the end of this year.
Speaking of Kosovo’s project to build the Zhur hydropower plant in the border area between the two countries, he said the current proposed project would damage 18 small plants operating under concession contracts on the Albanian side of the border.
“We will of course protect the concessions we have granted, investments made in the Republic of Albania,” said Prifti, convinced that governments of both countries will find the best version which would not damage the Albanian plants.
“Both governments are in negotiations and I believe we will soon have a deal,” added Prifti.
Reacting to accusation of the opposition Socialist Party for making 1.8 million euros from the sale of his company’s assets in 2009, Prifti said he was not bothered at all by accusations by the opposition socialist Party and media close to it.
“I have been informed by the High Inspectorate for the Declaration and Audit of Assets that they have started analyzing my wealth declarations.”