The run-of-river plant is to be constructed south of Shkodra by Austria’s Verbund, EVN and Albanian subcontractors.
TIRANA, Feb. 16 – Construction on the Ashta Hydroelectric Power Plant will start next month, Verbund, the Austrian company in charge of the project, said this week.
Verbund will begin in early March the construction works for the large hydro power plant in Albania. The project’s company, Ashta Energy, has obtained all necessary permits to start work, the company said in a statement.
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 megawatts.
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.
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.
Over a 15-year-term, all of the electricity generated in Ashta will be collected by KESH, the state-run Albanian energy provider. After that, the term can either be extended or the electricity can be sold on the open market.
The government’s savings on electricity imports are estimated to exceed 35 million euros in the first five years of plant operations.
The concession agreement for the Ashta power plant was signed in September 2009.
The run-of-river plant will be erected south of Shkoder. Industrially managed by Verbund, the project will be constructed jointly with EVN and Albanian subcontractors.
Ashta is the final power plant step in a chain of three existing power plants and utilizes the head between the Spathara reservoir, which is fed by the river Drin, and the Drin estuary in the Buna.
A Straflo Matrix will be installed in the Ashta run-of-river plant. Instead of one large turbine, this new technology employs several small ones. As a result, it will be possible to utilize even low current speeds and thereby increase efficiency. An additional benefit is the shortened construction period.
Ashta is the first international joint venture by Verbund and EVN. The project is also the Albania’s first large hydropower plant concession contract to be signed with an international partner. The concession is granted for 35 years, including construction period.
