In July the Albanian government cleared the way for EVN to build hydro plants to generate more than 1000GWh per year on its Devol river. The greenlight for the project came mid-year after EVN undertook feasibility studies in the preceding months into the possibility of building three peak-storage plants on the river.
The utility said that the approval, following assessment by state authorities, was the first step in developing the 'sizeable’ hydro power potential of Albania, and it launched a definitive tendering process with a deadline of Monday 19 November for offers to build the plants.
In January, a pact was signed between the government of Albania, the federal province of Lower Austria and EVN on energy development. the feasibility studies were started thereafter and the package of three plants is the first product of the pact.
EVN hopes to develop energy schemes in south east Europe in a similar model to that in Lower Austria with a mix of hydro, renewables and thermal resources.
