Euro 1.1 million grant to assist Albania’s gasification

TIRANA, June 17 – The Western Balkans Investment Framework, a joint initiative of the EU and international financial institutions, has approved a Euro 1.1 million grant to assist the Albanian government draft a gas master plan as the TAP pipeline bringing Caspian gas to Europe is expected to carry the first gas by 2019.
The Albanian energy ministry says the WBIF grant and support by the Azerbaijani government and its state SOCAR energy company, which is one of the key shareholders in the TAP pipeline, mark an important step in Albania’s gasification efforts.
The master plan targets identifying the technical and commercial needs regarding the transmission capacity, the use for electricity generation needs and the infrastructure on Albania’s gasification. The master plan will also identify priority projects considered necessary to ease Albania’s gasification, says the energy ministry.
With domestic electricity generation 100 percent dependent on hydropower plants and rainfall, TAP would be another opportunity to diversify generation especially in the newly-built Vlora thermal power plant which although made available for use since more than one year has not been made operational because of its high cost on fuel operation. TAP would also help the country’s gasification by offering gas, already massively used as a cheaper alternative to electricity for cooking and heating, although the country’s buildings lack gas infrastructure. The passing of the oil pipeline through Albania would also pave the way for the construction of the Ionian-Adriatic pipeline making Albania a gas hub to other Balkan regional countries, experts say.
TAP is scheduled to start construction in 2015 and carry the first gas by 2019.