TIRANA TIMES
TIRANA, April 28 – A report of an Albanian and an international non-governmental organizations showed that Italian energy company Enel’s has planned to construct a 1600 megawatt coal-fired thermal power plant in Porto Romano, Albania that increases Albania’s carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.5 times their current level.
These plans contradict Albania’s national energy strategy that sees no major role for coal-fired power in the country’s energy sector, the report says.
The Albanian EDEN Center and CEE Bankwatch Network issued a report that coincided with Enel’s annual shareholders’ meeting.
“Over the edge: Enel’s plans to export its pollution to Porto Romano, Albania” concludes that with 85 percent of the mooted plant’s electricity to be exported to Italy, the project represents a raw deal for Albania and is likely to severely hamper the development of industries in Albania with strong job creation potential such as renewable energy, energy efficiency services or the tourist industry, according to the two organizations.
Anisa Xhitoni, of EDEN Center, commented: “The benefits from the project for Enel are clear. Building a new power plant in Albania instead of in Italy means that the company does not have to buy emissions allowances, and depending on the carbon price this will mean savings for Enel of between 232.5 and 325.5 million euros per year in 2020. There is more than a suspicion then that Enel is looking to ship its pollution across the Adriatic to Albania, a shocking move to see from a European energy giant and one that should not be tolerated by Enel shareholders.”
She added, “Not only is this project completely unnecessary due to several electricity generation projects under construction in Albania already, but the environmental assessment is also of very poor quality. It assesses no technological or fuel alternatives to the plant, says little about the impacts on the local community, says nothing about what will happen to the generated ashes, and fails to examine the project’s serious climate impact.”
Piotr Trzaskowski, Energy and climate coordinator for CEE Bankwatch Network, said, “One of the claims being made by the Albanian government is that this coal-fired power plant is necessary for security of electricity supply. As is so often the case, the security of supply mantra that is used to justify carbon intensive, climate-damaging investments like this one seeks to divert attention from viable clean energy alternatives. Potential investors such as the international development banks should be helping countries like Albania undertake energy efficiency and clean energy projects that bring long-term local benefits, not assisting western energy giants get an easy, dirty buck.”
