Ceku: Kosovo in the dark because of politics

For the energy crisis Kosovo is facing, Ceku blames politics. According to him, the energy sector requires a political consensus. Without such a consensus, he says Kosovo will remain with abundant and politicised lines, without the construction of new thermal power plants and face severe power reductions.

Kosovo, according to him, would not have developed this energy crisis if it developed the “New Kosovo” Project.

Kosovo is also facing a lack of electricity this winter. Has the problem been possible?

Ethem Ceku: Yes, he could. Kosovo has 11 billion tonnes of lynj that could put the energy sector into use. Unfortunately, the wrong policies that have been made have left 11 tons of unusable linen.

Today Kosovo, as one of the world's richest countries in the field of lignite, has to buy electricity from 500 euros per megawatt, until we have been able to produce 56-60 euros megawatt.

These are the wrong policies that were made by governments that have not allowed the development of the “Kosovo C” thermal power plant project, and by removing the four major world consortiums of that time, which had competed for building blocks for the construction of the “thermal power plant Kosovo C”, which later changed the name and made the “Kosova e Re”. They also changed the project as a whole and this led to Kosovo's leaving investors who were powerful.

Kosovo missed the opportunity to build new thermal power plants, which at the time also had support from the World Bank and the European Commission. The World Bank allocated funds, provided bank guarantees for development of the energy sector. European Union countries supported development of the energy sector in Kosovo. USAID did a great job, sent the best energy field experts and became an extraordinary team for the construction of the thermal power plant, but the thermal power plant was not built.

“Political actions damaged Kosovo”

Who can be blamed for failing this project?

Ethem Ceku: Yes, the political developments that were made later eliminated the construction of the thermal power plant and made Kosovo one of the poorest countries in the field of energy. Investors do not accept political games in the energy sector. Political actions damaged Kosovo.

No government mandate is enough to solve the energy sector problem, so a stability in the project is required, a common policy of Government and Parliament.

Energy requires commitment, professionalism and not politics. You cannot develop the energy sector unless you reach a political consensus.

Without a political consensus, the energy sector will remain with abundant, highly politicised, without the construction of new thermal power plants and large reductions.

I hope this government is looking for consensus and working with experts.

For 20 years, no capacity in the thermo field has developed and only a few other small capacity of renewable energy developed. So we have this difficult situation, and this difficult situation will continue for many years if this Government does not build a concept of exit.

“Energy does not stand for social peace”

What would be the government's concept of getting out of this energy crisis?

Ethem Ceku: The new government is continuing to make mistakes made by past governments, where it is interfering with long-term financial means to buy social peace. Energy does not endure social peace, it requires investment and requires expert teams to develop the project.

How can you get out of this situation? - I think we should do a deep study on the blocks of “Kosovo A”, and see if we can rehabilitate them, as the Kosovo Energy Corporation and past governments have invested in them.

There are five blocks of “Kosovo A”, which if a study is conducted that proves investment can be made, we can make a good, sustainable solution. Investments now must be capital, not improvise.

If it is invested in the blocks of “Kosovo A”, we can have five blocks in action that we can only have 800 megavats of electricity from “Kosovo A”.

Also, we urgently have to invest in the mining sector, because we are in the last phase of mine exploitation, so new mines should be opened.

Strategic Plan for Energy

Do you think rehabilitations can be made at the “thermal power plant Kosovo A” and then Kosovo exits the energy crisis? The thermocentrics in Obilic are considered outdated.

Ethem Ceku: A study was conducted in 2005-2007, where it was said they could be rehabilitated. There are studies that were conducted even when I was a minister. Studies back then said there might be rehabilitation, but that did not happen to us. We didn't do deep rehabilitation. We made investments for tomorrow. Capital investments are needed there. The rehabilitation has, for example, done Bosnia and Herzegovina, but other countries in the region.

How long can it get out of the energy crisis that Kosovo is in?

Ethem Ceku: If a strategic action plan is to be built in the medium three-year period, Kosovo can eliminate the energy problem. It's not the situation of a quick solution. We're talking today about the effects coming in three or four years.

The only rehabilitation of a bloc took months. In the meantime, if we go that way step by step, providing tools of 50 million euros, sometimes 70 million times costing electricity prices, this form does not solve the power problem.

Capital investments navigate energy

Where can funds be provided for rehabilitation of this thermal power plant, when it is known that the European Union's international financial mechanisms do not finance energy production projects from coal?

Ethem Ceku: These are big projects. The World Bank does not provide funds, nor does the European Union states. EU banks don't share funds for line, we don't have alternative energy. Today, in this intense cold we have no offensive winds, energy from water was the wrong orientation in hydropower, solar energy is small and is not the basis for solving these problems, so funds must be found within Kosovo.
The Kosovo government should cut off capital investments in other sectors and invest funds in the energy sector.

There are financial means in Kosovo. Maybe we should take the Norwegian model where citizens can be shareholders in the development of the electricity sector, as deposits in Kosovo are over three billion euros.

If we have a reliable government, citizens can spill tools and become shareholders in the blocs that rehabilitate.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, as a solution, has given either severe reductions or increased energy prices. How did you comment on this solution?

Ethem Ceku: There are two tough choices. At these low temperatures, there is no power reduction. Also in villages, but in some urban countries, the drinking water system depends on energy. This is not a solution.

Even expensive energy bills do not solve the problem because there is no more production.

Maybe it should create a private energy sector, see if they can invest in the situation.

The time has come for the Government to call on internal and external experts and create a strategy, and it is to make rehabilitation of the five blocks of the thermal power plant “Kosova A”.