Albania’s government on Wednesday approved deals worth 1 billion euro to modernize a power station and build three new hydroelectric plants to help ease the country’s chronic power-supply problems.
The Energy Ministry said the Greek-based consortium Atermon SA, Roder & Blackwell Consulting will invest 100 million euro in a power station at Fier, 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the capital, Tirana, increasing output from 159 megawatts to 200 megawatts, and enabling the station to comply with European Union emission standards.
Authorities also granted a concession to the Austrian power utility EVN AG to spend 900 million euro on building three hydroelectric plants in six years on the Devolli River, 200 kilometers southeast of Tirana, with a combined output of 319 megawatts.
Albania has faced frequent power cuts. Low rainfall has hurt hydroelectric production, and the country also faces problems caused by an outdated distribution system and uncollected consumer bills.
