Ashta hydro plant, located on the river Drin in the north of Albania, close to Shkoder, has been under construction for the past two and a half years. The 53MW project represents the largest investment in Albania’s energy market in the past 30 years.
The power project has been developed in two stages. Both Ashta 1 and Ashta 2 utilise 45 Hydromatrix turbines each, supplied by andritz Hydro.
For a period of 15 years, the electricity produced in Ashta will be collected entirely by Korporata Elektroenergjetike Shqiptare (KESH), the Albanian state electricity supplier. At the end of this period, the contract can either be extended or the electrical energy sold freely on the market.
At the end of the 35-year licence period, the power plant will be transferred to the Republic of Albania.