EKSKLUSIVES: Kurt's desperate strategy for electricity: More Coal and More Import

The energy theme has become the most controversial point of Kosovo's economy, but also of political debates in the country in the middle of position and opposition. Over the past year and this year, various scandals and actions have been discussed, from the price of electricity, to the refusal of gas carriers with the MCC's donation to the latest family employment in KEK.

Finally, the courts mixed in by suspending the cost of electricity.

In most of the charges on the part of the opposition, the Kurti Government has responded equally to “expect that we are preparing the new energy strategy”, even accusing previous governments of work without strategy.

Periscope And he had exclusive access to new strategy trumpeted and compiled by the Kurti Government, the Economy Ministry led by Minister Artane Rizvanolli respectively, and many will apparently remain desperate by Kurti's vision of Kosovo's energy future.

The new strategy that has only a few pages, No reference And without any connection to jobs done in the past, you present four energy sector development options to Kosovo, but according to the text and the expressions used, you see a dominance and preference towards the renewal of the Kosova A thermal power units.

In an earlier statement, Minister Rizvanolli has promised that there will be no new investments in coal-power generation, but also added that the “renewable energy resources will have a key role”.

According to the draft being circulated in the offices of Kosovo Prime Minister and Government, this statement by the minister turns out to be false.

The 4 main points of Kurti Government strategy are the following:

1. The new investment cycle in the renovation of Kosovo A (two entities) and Kosovo B.

Although many international experts have insisted that Kosovo A is with Russian and East German technology and that there is no sense of innovation at all due to environmental and age impact (half a century), “the coal club” in Vetevendosje was probably stronger than “lobi against the coal” led by Haki Abazi, who at the time he was engaged in the Fondagnon Rockefeller had invested millions of euros in stopping investments in the bill. Now, according to the Kurt Government strategy, Kosovo will not invest in new capacities, but will invest in extending the life of producing more polluting plants in Europe, despite obligations that previous governments have received for the closure and total decommission of Kosovo A.

The EU has already shared grants for decommission.

2. Real-based vision for renewable energy investments

Kurti promises to invest in capacity of over 1,000 MW of renewable energy the next nine years, to diversify the production of electricity in Kosovo.

He even participated in the opening of a wind park funded by the German company SOI, in the presence of the German ambassador, but according to all parameters this vision is empty and groundless.

The SOWI company has met right from the Kurti Government to start work, while it is completely unrealistic to expect the establishment of such capacities in later than 10 years. Kosovo, with its complicated procedures as well as the length of environmental permits, but with high risk for investment, is not expected to install more than 500 MW capacity for 10 years, in the most optimistic version. New strategy envisions installation every year of 100 More renewable energy. Given that 25% of the government's mandate has already been consumed, it remains extremely unrealistic.

3.The new strategy presents gas as an option, but calls it extremely expensive and gives the impression that it is not real.

Nowhere is it mentioned that President Trump, but also President Biden, in short form, have allocated $200m gas-referring means and gas capacity, while Kurti Government has caused the package to refuse.

Even the American ambassador, in an earlier interview, has confirmed that the government has been delayed in response to MCC-funded gas.

The “was very strict when the gas was considered an element of the energy part of the MCC programme. There were tough deadlines to determine whether to support gas as an element. “- said Ambassador Havenier a few months ago.

Now it is clear, Kosovo will not have gas lines, even though the governments of Albania, Northern Macedonia, Greece that are all increasing investments in gas, with the gas carrier TAP bringing in gas, not from Russia, as part of national security strategies.

4. New strategy envisions increased electricity import

According to Kurti's options, Kosovo will continue to buy from the current region, which in reality means Serbia and Bosnia. Taking into account that new production capacities are not provided, while renewable energy projections are out of the question, Kosovo will continue financial bleeding for decades to come by buying electricity from other countries.

Periscope in the coming days will bring details from this strategy, which according to its sources “has not been well received by donors”, while civil society has not yet reacted because it has not seen this secret document at all.

The only new element in this process is again The MCC, from which construction of several batteries for strategic energy reserves is expected, but the source within the prime minister's office states that “bateries are the needed investment in the reserves and balance of the network but that new production will hardly be available during the mandate of this government”. /Periscopi