The two hydropower plants – Cerruje 1 and Cerruje 2 – are to be built on the Benji River, 140km north-east of the Albanian capital Tirana. With a combined generation capacity of 5.1MW, the facilities will generate up to 14.7GWh of electricity per year, helping to offset over 9500 tonnes of CO2 annually.
The two facilities are part of Energy Partners’ plan to develop five small hydropower units on Benji river, for which the company has been awarded a 35-year concession. The remaining three small hydropower plants will be built at a later stage.
“The construction of the Cerruje hydropower plants is one of the few private investments in renewable energy generation in Albania in many years,” said Fabio Serri, Head of EBRD Resident Office in Albania. “This project will be implemented with the support of latest technologies and will set an excellent example of financially viable investments in renewable energy sector,”
The EBRD financing is extended under the Bank’s Western Balkans Sustainable Energy Direct Financing Facility.
Albania has a vast hydropower generation potential that remains untapped, and the country relies on electricity imports to manage the growing demand. Restoring the power generation capacity through the rehabilitation of hydropower sector and improving the energy efficiency of the distribution system is one of the country’s priorities.
