Ashta concludes first stage of construction

TIRANA, April 15ؔhe company in charge of building the new Ashta hydroelectric power plant has finished the first stage of construction, which involved building the infrastructure to the site and obtaining all the necessary paperwork.
The representatives of Verbund, the Austrian company implementing the project in the field, said they are satisfied with the work done the cooperation they had seen from the Albanian authorities.
Project Managing Direct Dietmar Reiner said, “We are here to provide all relevant technical and environmental; information for people and show concrete work — our targets and deadlines. Today we have completed the first phase, which is preliminary phase of the project, always in collaboration with the Albanian specialists. And we have obtained all necessary permits.”
Bushat Commune Mayor Zef Hila, whose municipality encompasses the site, told German public broadcaster DW that the first stage of construction lasted 18 months and ended with within the deadlines set by the parties participating in this investment.
“It is an investment of the Albanian government, which affects the municipalities of Ashta and Stajka , with an area of 100 hectares of public property and the rest from private property,” he said. “Construction of this hydroelectric power plant will finally resolve power problems not only in the area, but beyond it.”
Economic experts also estimate that the construction will create new jobs and provide a positive outlook for the development of the land area in general.
The plant is expected to fill a third of Albania’s need for electricity reducing dependence on imported electricity. The investment totals 160 million euros and the Ashta Plant will produce enough electricity to supply energy to 100,000 Albanian families, according to Verbund. The project will increase Albania’s power generation capacity by almost 50 megawats.
Verbund, Austria’s largest electricity company, won the 35-year concession to build and operate the new hydropower plant and will invest more than 166 million euros in the project. When completed, the Ashta hydropower plant will be Albania’s first major power plant construction in 30 years and the government’s first large public-private partnership in the energy sector. The project is also the Albania’s first large hydropower plant concession contract to be signed with an international partner.