TIRANA, Sept. 1 – Albania become a net exporter of electricity in the first half of this year on higher hydro-dependent domestic production and a cut in distribution losses, says the country’s state statistical institute, INSTAT, in a report.
The increase in domestic electricity generation in the first half of 2015 reduced imports by 54 percent and increased exports by seven times, making Albania a net exporter compared to a net importer in the first half of 2014.
Fuelled by heavy rains which also caused huge flooding, Albania’s hydro-dependent domestic electricity generation rose by about 60 percent to 3.750 GWh, with private and concession hydropower plants increasing their share to 25 percent of the total.
The reduction in grid losses by 25 percent after a nationwide campaign to curb electricity thefts also had a major impact on Albania’s improved electricity balance. Electricity consumption increased by 2.3 percent for household consumers and by 4.8 percent for non-household consumers, the latter accounting for 49 percent of total electricity consumption.
Household electricity prices were already higher than in eight out 38 European countries in Albania at the end of 2014 just ahead of a new hike, according to a report published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
At Euro 11.6 per 100 kWh (VAT included), Albania’s household electricity prices in the second half of 2014 were already higher than EU members Bulgaria and Hungary and EU aspirants Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and on par to Iceland which has officially dropped its EU bid.
Thanks to its huge oil and renewable hydro-electricity production, Albania is one of Europe’s least dependant countries on energy imports, according to an earlier Eurostat report. Data shows Albania’s energy dependency, which shows the extent to which an economy relies upon imports to meet its energy needs, was at 25 percent in 2013.
