PM Berisha inaugurates Luma River hydropower stations

Prime Minister Sali Berisha inaugurated on 12 May two hydropower stations on Luma River, at Vana mouth in Kukësi district. The hydropower stations are a 32 million Euros investment and have a 10 MW capacity. There are 10 hydropower stations under construction on Luma River cascade with about 50 MW production capacity, equal to Ashta hydropower station.
In the course of the recent years in the Albanian energy field are signed 127 concessionary contracts for building 362 hydropower stations with an installed power of 1500 MGW and an investment of 2.3 billion Euros. 53 hydropower stations have actually begun production with a general installed power of 107 MGW and a total investment of 175 million Euros. During the current year alone there are signed 12 contracts about building of 46 new hydropower stations. There are more than 5 thousand full-time employees and up to 12 thousand others indirectly employed. Likewise, 15 companies are licensed in building of eolic parks with an installed capacity of about 1600 MW and which mainly extend along the coastal area of the country beginning from Lezha region in the North and up to Saranda region in the South.
The objectives over period 2013-2017 in the energy sector forecast 45 hydropower stations entering into production with a capacity of about 165MW, a total investment of 215 million Euros; during 2013 will be signed about 20 other concessionary contracts on a capacity of 428 MW and an investment value of 72.3 billion leke; during 2013 will be opened the competition procedures on the most major energy projects, “Vjosa” and “Skavica”; it is ready the beginning of investment realization of about 7 major projects in the field of renewable energy on eolic and photovoltaic parks with a production power of about 200 MW as well as an investment of about 350 million Euros.
Up to 2020, there are plans on building the following electricity generating works:
Small hydropower stations 444 MW
Devolli1 75 MW
Vjosa1 93 MW
Drini1 48 MW
Vlora Thermal Power Plant 97 MW
New Thermal Power Plants 300 MW
PM Berisha said that, “Our initiative- Albania, a leading country in the region for production of water energy is developing more and more every day”. Likewise, PM Berisha emphasized that we shall make the utmost so that to produce energy from every source.
Speaking about the reforms the government has implemented for creation of a favourable business climate, PM Berisha said that the building cost of hydropower stations will be 20% lower because VAT has been removed on every material used in construction, pipes, turbines, cement, steel and others.
“We, -said the prime minister, – are convinced that it’s not far the day when this country which imports more than 1/3 of the energy that consumes will not only be self-sufficient, but it will be a major exporter of electricity. We are convinced that while being self-sufficient with hydro-energy, we can keep the most favourable electricity prices for the Albanian citizens”.

energjia.al, 13.05.2013