Albania hard to cope with energy crisis

TIRANA, Nov. 26 – Despite the increases in water levels in the country’s rivers following recent rain and snow, the energy situation in Albania is worsening. Power cuts have reached up to 15-17 hours a day in rural areas and are regularly following their rhythm of 5-6 hours even in Tirana. While the Albanian Electro-Energy Corporation, or KESH, has said that the water levels at the Drini River in the north, the main power supplier in the country, have increased resulting in an increase of the local production up to 9 million kWh.
But it was also learned that KESH had immediately shortened the amount of import from 10 million to 7-9 million kWh. The consumption of electric power has now surged due to low temperatures. A normal walk around the capital at any time of the day provides ample understanding of the power crisis as pedestrians can hear the noise from small generators used by most of the retails shops and restaurants.