WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a two-year contract to Advanced Engineering Associates International, a small business based in Washington, D.C., to provide technical assistance to the Albanian government to improve the performance of their electrical power distribution system.
The total estimated cost of this contract is 1 million dollars.
Albania is currently experiencing wide-spread shortages of electricity due to the severe drought in the region affecting hydroelectric production.
The government faces a serious financial crisis due to the high cost of energy imports, the large non-payment by consumers for power used, and the inefficiency of the electric grid.
To address this situation, the Albanian government is seeking to privatize the distribution company and develop new generating facilities.
The new USAID contract will focus on development of the legal, regulatory, and market framework critical for the successful privatization of the distribution company.
The new team will work closely with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy and with the privatization transaction team from the International Finance Corporation, as well as the World Bank, EBRD and other donors.
