KESH postpones tender for electricity imports

TIRANA, Oct.29 – KESH postponed to Nov. 6 an international tender for the purchase of 2,206 million MWh of electricity due to an auction with not enough bids, its press office reported. One of the reasons for the failure of the auction was the ongoing tender for electricity imports in Kosovo, according to spokeswoman Klodiana Gjinaj. The power utility plans to spend up to 162.8 million euro ($204 million) on the purchase of the electricity. KESH plans to buy the electricity in four quarterly lots: 568,000 MWh of electricity in the first quarter, 410,600 MWh for the second period between April and June, 530,000 MWh in the third quarter and the remainder in the last quarter until December 31. Albania, where outdated power plants are unable to produce enough electricity, usually calls import tenders to cover its consumption needs. The import of electricity is needed to cover demand in the power-hungry state next year, according to KESH, which would like to avoid a situation like that of last year when its worst electricity crises led to power cuts of up to 18 hours a day in cities and even longer in remote areas. “Still, there is no threat for another energy crisis. We are on time with the tender. If it fails on November 6 or is postponed again, then a crisis is possible,” said Gjinaj.