TIRANA, Sept  30 /ATA/ Prime Minister Edi Rama stated on Friday that the 800 kW threshold for household consumers will not come into effect on October 1.

In a video message, Rama said that “the 800 kW threshold above the price buffed  by the government for household consumers was set to take effect as of October 1. This threshold aims, on the one hand, to continuously protect 96% of households, which do not exceed the cap of 800 kW even during the winter. On the other hand, the threshold aims for 4% of subscribers, who exceed this cap and consume nearly 20% of the entire amount of energy, to pay the real price for every kW above 800 kW.”

“This is not our invention but a method followed by many countries to promote energy efficiency,” said Rama.

PM said that “saving energy is the main weapon to get over this winter without energy restrictions.”

“It is not me telling this, but the logic arising from the global crisis caused by the war between two of the world’s most important suppliers of energy, wheat and corn and endorsed by all European governments.”

Some of us here in Albania say that our country has nothing to do with the energy crisis, because it is rich in hydro sources and has many hydropower plants, but either the first or the second could be further from the truth, Rama said.

Water resources rely on rainfall, but even if this year is unlike the last three years, which have been seen negative precipitation records, our energy production system with hydropower plants at optimal quotas meets only 75% of energy needs. As you have seen, we are working towards the target to meet 100% of the needs with domestic energy production within this 10 year period, and to make Albania an energetically sovereign country as well as a net exporter of energy. Just because we cannot meet all the needs, we need to turn to the international market, where all European countries are hit by sky-rocketing energy prices in this time of war,” said Rama.

However, Rama continued, this government and I are here, not only to guarantee unchanged energy price for family and business consumers and their uninterrupted supply of energy, but also to do the utmost that the actual burden and psychological effects of this war, and of the inflation it has triggered, to be buffered as much as possible.

Prime Minister Rama said that “I have a positive news after a long discussion we had  until late at night. On September 1, when we set the 800 kW threshold, the demand for energy from KESH was about 17,000 Kwh, today it is about 11,000 Kwh.”

“On September 1, when we launched the 800 kW threshold, this demand was significantly higher than it is today and this significant decrease is attributed to  the weather conditions but also the marked shift in the approach of family subscribers to save energy. On the other hand, in the last few days, we have seen an improvement in the level in Fierza, which is the main source of energy, and we expect that the forecasts for precipitation will materialize at the end of the first ten days of October,” Rama said.

PM emphasized that “therefore in these conditions, based on a much more detailed analysis of all technical parameters and projections, as well as given the full commitment to use every opportunity and space to ease somehow the current  burden and psychological effects  of this situation on all families, which was not created by the government, although the government has the burden of its management as best as possible, we decided that the 800 Kw threshold will not take effect in October.”

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Balluku said that one of the main issues under discussion was energy security amid the current crunch. According to her, the topics at issue ranged from the strategy for the future regarding the creation of new generation capacities in the country, alternative sources, not only for energy, but also liquefied gas, to development of the extraction industry.

“We have conducted a study regarding a threshold for family subscribers to be applied as soon as possible by protecting up to a point that is used for essential needs and the rest will be paid at a higher price which will be an offset against the part we import, ” stressed Balluku.

The Minister assured that the Cascade has been used in the best possible way.

“We will continue to manage it in order to reduce the amount of imports. During the summer period, we have taken measures with long-term purchases, exchange and storage of energy, but of course also increase of capacities through two floating power plants that will start working in July,” she said.
With regard to development of transport sector, Minister Balluku informed that the aim is to build a new fleet, based on electric and hybrid lines.
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