New Tirana-Elbasan interconnection line made operational

TIRANA, March 14 – A 400 kw interconnection line linking the central Albanian city of Elbasan to Tirana has been made operational under a 1.5 billion lek grant by the Italian Development Cooperation. The new line, part of the Montenegro-Albania-Greece interconnection line, was inaugurated last Monday by Prime Minister Sali Berisha who was in Elbasan to participate in the Summer Day celebrations.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Berisha said the important energy project managed to finally integrate Albania in the regional and European electricity market.
“This great project is inaugurated 20 years after the de facto collapse of the communist dictatorship,” said Berisha, adding that the new planned highway would further bring Elbasan closer to Tirana.
Last year, electricity was one of the country’s main exports with 120 million euros of profits for the state-run Albanian Power Corporation KESH.
Earlier this year, the new interconnection line linking Tirana to Montenegro’s capital, Podgorica was also made operational. Germany’s KfW Entwicklungsbank provided some EUR 44 million to finance the construction on both sides of the border of the transmission line from Tirana to Podgorica, and the expansion of the pertinent sub-stations. Construction work on the line started in mid-2008, and was slated for completion in 2010, significantly improving electricity supplies in Albania.
Albania will also start building a new interconnection line this year linking the country to neighbouring Kosovo to integrate and strengthen energy systems. The KfW-funded project expected to begin in the first months of 2011.
During his visit in Elbasan, PM Berisha also attended the inauguration ceremony of the start of works to build a new 2 million euro trade centre.