Rains to alleviate power crisis, KESH pledges nonstop power supply

TIRANA, Feb.11 – The power corporation KESH announced that it would offer nonstop power supply to the country. Muharrem Stojku, head of the production department, said that the country was producing 10.5 million kWh and the same amount was also imported. The situation improved due to the rain that fell in the last week and which resulted in an increased water supply to the Fierza hydropower station in the northern Drini River, which serves as the main basin and producer in the country. “Improved hydro situation in the country in the last week, with water levels at Fierze rising to 258.4 meters and water flows of 180 cubic meters a second, brought domestic production to 10.5 million kilowatt-hours (kWh),” KESH said in a statement made available on Monday. The power cuts, which have gone up to 18 hours in rural areas, will be significantly reduced and will be only two percent after the current situation supplies the country with 98 percent of the needs. Fierze is the largest water reservoir in Albania feeding the country’s hydro generating capacities. Domestic consumption reached 21.5 million kWh as of Saturday and imports were cut to 11 million kWh from some 12 million kWh earlier last week. KESH added that it would gradually decrease power imports while increasing water reserves to safe levels. “The situation is expected to be the same in the coming days while in a two-months’ time imports are seen cut to 7.0 million kWh,” the statement said. Power rationing has been reduced to a minimum, KESH said but provided no updates on the duration of electricity cuts. It added that the shortages are expected to continue mainly in the regions where transmission lines are overloaded.