Energy cuts resume: Less energy imports available from Greece

TIRANA, Jan.4 – After the short break accorded to Albanians for the holidays of the New Year, power shortages have started once again to paralyze activity throughout the country. Despite some new rainfall the hydropower generating facility in the Fierza Lake is still under no optimal conditions of operation. A new problem is also appearing for the import alternative. Albania’s secure imports stretch up until the end of the first week of the year. The agreement signed between KESH and the Greek energy corporation for the transmission of energy in the southern lines ends on January 7. KES Executive head, Andi Beli has expressed strong interest in reissuing the agreement. A new agreement requires a joint effort form the ministries of economics and energy for the two neighboring countries. A new agreement can be only for one month given the Greek legal framework. KESH hopes to get a new deal under the new framework of regional cooperation in the filed of energy, one of the priority cooperation arenas. After the closing of Kozloduy, upon Bulgaria’s accession into the EU, Greece is the only alternative for switching the import pattern from East to West. According to Beli, the historical structure of energy imports impedes the change and makes it more difficult for the corporation to handle the current on-going crisis with difficult power shortages plaguing the country. Transmission lines passing through Greece have a capacity of 400 kV. Beli signed an agreement last month with Greece to import 60000 MW/h for the first three months of 2007. 6 million kW/h more daily are expected to improve the situation, adding to the total figure of 20 million kW/h, including local production. The later is only 14 million kW/h, far from meeting local demand. The deal focuses on energy provision in the night hours and also includes Albania’s obligation to return the amount in the summer months when demand is lower. Better news follow form the Northern lines of Prizren in Kosova and Podgorica in Montenegro. Beli reported that these lines will securely transmit energy imported form Austria and Italy.