3 hours agotender opens for building new 1 billion euro thermal power plant in Kosovo
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)The American electricity producer, Contour Global, has announced that it has opened a tender for the construction of a coal power plant in Kosovo, expected to cost about $1 billion, or $1.2 billion. This will be the biggest investment in energy in almost three decades in Kosovo, while the country still has [...]
The American electricity producer, Contour Global, has announced that it has opened a tender for the construction of a coal power plant in Kosovo, expected to cost about $1 billion, or $1.2 billion.
This will be the biggest investment in energy in almost three decades in Kosovo, while the country still has enough energy shortages, reports the international news agency Reuters.
About 90 percent of the country's electricity is produced in two old coal power plants, which are among the largest pollutants in Europe.
“The selection process consists of a two-stage competitive international tender, in line with World Bank Procurement Rule”, has made Contour Global known, through a statement sent to Reuters through email.
“It consists of an initial selection process, followed by proposals for”, has shown the headquarters company in the United States, adding that the deadline for application for initial selection is 2 August this year.
The World Bank has said last week that it has not yet decided whether to support this project.
The Kosovo government has asked the lender organisation last week to provide guarantees of risk to investment in the project so that cheaper power-building loans could be offered.
Kosovo has testimony reserves of more than 14 billion tonnes, representing the fifth largest amount worldwide.
If the World Bank does not give its support, it remains unclear how the project will proceed.
The government earlier said the project is expected to help Kosovo's economy grow by 5 per cent or 6 per cent over the next years, from 3.7 per cent in 2017.
Environmentalists have complained that the thermal power plant could isolate Kosovo in a future dependent on lignite, which is the dirtiest form of coal.
But, Contour Global has said the new thermal power plant will improve air quality, reducing concessions from the two thermal power plants currently polluting the area, one of which will close.
The dust releases will be reduced by 93 percent, while those of sulphur and nitrogen oxids will be reduced by 84, 93 percent, respectively, while carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced to 37 per cent”, ContourGlobal said.
The American company has also said it hopes to secure a co-owner by the end of this year, or early 2019.
