Kosovo to return Albania during summer to last week's holidays

Albania's government will grant Kosovo 7,680 megavat electricity for December 31st and January 1st, in an effort to help the country facing an electricity crisis.

After an agreement we had with the Kosovo Energy Corporation leaders we have managed to secure 3,600 megavats for December 31st, and 4,080 megawatt hours for January 1st”, said Albanian Infrastructure and Energy Minister Belinda Balluk.

Minister Balluk announced that energy will be provided to Kosovo in the form of deposit, without any financial effect.

This amount will turn to Albania from Kosovo in the summer season during the period from June to September, when the country is located in droughts and lacks hidric reserves”, Balluk said.

Earlier in the day, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said he has asked the Energy Ministry to assess any assistance opportunities for the Government of Kosovo to cope with this crisis for at least two days of New Year's holiday.

Rama said he is following the power crisis Kosovo is going through with concern.

“Following with concern the severe energy crisis that has affected Kosovo today I asked the Energy Ministry to assess any assistance opportunities for the Government of Kosovo, so that families in Kosovo do not lack electricity in the two days of the popular holiday division of”, Rama wrote on Twitter.

He said that Albania itself does not find it easy to cope with the crisis that has engulfed Europe, but is able to help Kosovo for two days.

“Albania has nothing to do with the continued protection of families and small enterprises from the raging wave of energy crisis that is threatening every country, but in large soaps or in popular joys such as the New Year, we cannot share with Kosovo as much as we have”, Rama said.

Kosovo Assembly MPs on Tuesday have failed to approve the executive decision on emergency measures during the electricity supply received at the government's meeting Friday 24 December.

Kosovo has been facing an energy crisis for several days now.

Due to this energy crisis from Wednesday 22 December, citizens face electricity reductions. The reductions were directed by System and Market Operator (KOSTT), due to overload in the electro-energenetic system.

Meanwhile, the electricity bill in Kosovo could be expensive for 7 percent in the coming months. Such growth has called for the Kosovar Power Distribution Company (KEDS).

The energy situation has deteriorated as energy consumption cannot be covered with the production capacities of the Kosovo Energy Corporation. According to KED officials, Kosovo currently produces between 600 and 800 megawatts per hour, while consumption has reached up to 1,400 megavats per hour.

In the world market, electricity prices have been markedly expensive. Out of 69 euros for megawatts at the price last year, at this time the price of electricity import reached up to 600 euros per megavat, the spokesman for the Kosovar Power Distributation Company, Victor Buzhala, has said.

Yet, over the past two days, the situation with electricity has stabilised.