Kosovo’s Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, has warned of a challenging winter for the energy sector, saying electricity prices on international markets have reached approximately €500 per megawatt-hour during the first days of November.
Speaking on the Politiko programme on Kanal10, Rizvanolli compared the current situation with the 2021 energy crisis, when similar prices were recorded at the peak of winter.
She identified the conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as major factors behind the latest price increases, saying the developments have disrupted supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas.
Rizvanolli stressed that Kosovo is also facing significant energy challenges, particularly due to Unit B1 of the Kosovo B power plant, which has been out of operation since April 6 because of investments in electrostatic filters and the denitrification system.
According to the minister, the project has experienced delays, while the Ministry of Economy has maintained continuous communication with the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) and the European Union to accelerate the work.
As part of efforts to address potential supply shortages, Rizvanolli announced that interconnection capacities with Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia have been increased by a combined 350 megawatts.
