Luka: Kosovo, Albania must co-operate closely in energy field

Kosovo must co-operate closely with Albania to jointly build a hydropower plant in Albania to use for balance needs, for reserves and for export. All these policies would make Kosovo and Albania not only stable in the energy sector, but also potential exporters in the region. Today Kosovo imports about 50m euros per year of electricity, mainly from Serbia, so permanent energy independence from Serbia and the creation of our internal capacities to create national energy supply security must be a priority for each government, including the incoming “government, Luka has been expressed to the newspaper “New age”

He has further added that electricity is the alpha and the omega of the real functioning of the economy and the conduct of foreign investors. “Energy is oxygen, water and food of a country's economy. Without energy stability, there is no sustainable economic development, especially for countries rich in different minerals such as Kosovo and countries that have the potential to use the cheap workforce for production. Therefore, for each government, energy should be the primary focus, in lines equal to education and health. Energy instability makes it impossible to bring long-term and serious investors to Kosovo”.

The various European subx0 companies, expressing interest in moving their production from Western Europe to areas at low operational costs, such as the Western Balkans, have preconditions for stability and abundant energy supply, at cost. While Kosovo stands well with the cost of electricity, we have two other fundamental problems: 1. Energy stability and 2. Natural gas supply”, Luka said.

He has also talked about gas pipeline and investment opportunities in it. “Investing on the gas pipeline from Albania to Kosovo and from Skopje to Pristina is also necessary. The pipeline from Skopje can be installed in a fast period of time, as there has been such a pipeline in the years of BAR70, while the one with Albania is more strategic and long-term investment for the country. Large energy consumers in production, most often use gas for their needs. Such consumers are the ones in the mining field, mainly in the processing of minerals where the added value is the largest potential in Kosovo, then glass products, tiles, blocks and such materials to metal and wood producers”, he said.

According to Luka, the future government should focus on creating new power generation capacities, rather than investing in over-extended plants.

“to create energy stability in the country, we need to invest in new energy capacity in combinations of renewable energy and coal, gradually closing down the Kosova A thermal power plant, and completely upgrading the Kosova B thermal power plant. Also investing in new thermal power plants with smaller capacities and advanced technologies, as well as increasing the number of renewable energy licenses combined with sun and wind. Kosova A thermal power plant  It's not efficient, not safe and overextended, because it was built in 1962, so any attempts at renovation would bring failure to energy stability”, Luka said.