Photovoltaic on the dam at Vau i Dejës ends, KESH applies to start work

 Photovoltaic pannels on the dam of Vau i Dejes

 The Albanian Electric Power Corporation (known as KESH) recently applied to the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERE) to be licensed to produce energy from the photovoltaic plant installed at the Qyrsaq dam at the Vau i Dejes hydropower plant, which has an installed capacity of 5143 MW. The already completed project is connected to the unified system of the Drini cascade and will operate according to the principle of better management of the water reserve. ERE is expected to start the licensing procedure this week according to the calendar of decisions that will be taken for analysis at the Board meeting that takes place this Thursday.

The project of the photovoltaic plant with a capacity of 5.1 MW is located in the Qyrasqi dam in the Vau i Dejes hydropower plant, the third in the Drini cascade managed by KESH.

In parallel, the Corporation is developing another photovoltaic project where it is a floating plant located on the lake which is funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Referring to the documents, the floating photovoltaic plant will have an installed capacity of 12.9MW while it is considered a good opportunity to diversify energy sources in the country but also to better optimize production in the Drini cascade.

In total, the project has an estimated cost of 13.9 million euros, but part of it will be covered by the Corporation's own funds.

During the application phase for support, KESH argued that the second plant to be installed in the Drini cascade is the largest floating in the region and aims to promote the further use of floating PV technology to increase the solar capacity of the region through the efficient use of hydro reservoirs.

The Albanian Electric Power Corporation is not the only one implementing projects of floating photovoltaic plants. Earlier was Devoll Hydropower with a plant on Lake Banja which is based on completely new technology.