Data show hydropower plants with an installed capacity of up to 15 MW increased their revenue to 2.5 billion lek (Euro 17.5 million) in 2012, up from 1 billion lek in 2011
TIRANA, April 16 – Some 16 new hydropower plants, built privately or under concession contracts, were put into operation in 2012, taking the total number of operational hydropower plants to 68, according to an annual report by the Energy Regulatory Entity (ERE). Their total installed capacity rose to 195.8 MW of which 120 MW only in 2012 mainly due to the launch into operation of the Ashta HPP, a Euro 200 million investment by Austria’s Verbund and EVN. Electricity generation by the 68 private hydropower plants in 2012 increased to around 300 GWh, accounting for 7 percent of domestic hydroelectricity generation compared to 3.4 percent in 2011.
ERE data show hydropower plants with an installed capacity of up to 15 MW increased their revenue to 2.5 billion lek (Euro 17.5 million) in 2012, up from 1 billion lek in 2011. Private hydropower plant owners have often voiced concern over delays in payments by cash-strapped state-owned power corporation KESH.
Electricity sold by new hydropower plants rose to 9.3 lek/kWh up 35 percent compared to 2011 because of the stimulating government policy calculating them on electricity import prices, says ERE in its 2012 report. Power prices for older private or concession contracts rose to 7.77 lek kWh in 2012, up from 7.57 lek kWh in 2011 based on the average household tariffs.
Since 2007, the Albanian government has awarded 360 concession contracts to private companies, of which only 50 have already been made operational.
Last month, Austria’s EVN announced its withdrawal from the Devoll hydropower plant in South East Albania, and the sale of its 50 percent stake to its Norwegian joint venture partner Statkraf, remaining present in Albania only with its newly built Ashta HPP.
Devoll Hydropower, a Euro 950 million project, was set up as a 50/50 joint venture between EVN and Statkraft after the two companies won in 2009 a concession to build three hydropower plants on the Devoll River. The Devoll cascade is the largest ever project carried out in Albania. According to earlier estimates, it will cost some Euro 950 million.
