Statkraft targets additional investment in Moglica 800-1600 MW; It exceeds the Drin cascade in capacity

2023-09-19 09:27:00, Aktualitet CNA

Statkraft targets additional investment in Moglica 800-1600 MW; It exceeds the

The Devolli Cascade may have increased power generation capacity with a project currently being studied by Norwegian Statkraft.

An agreement that was approved a few days ago in the government and has recently reached the Assembly specifies changes regarding the current concession that the company has in our country.

This is the fourth change that has been made to the agreement over the years and this time aims at a project that increases the effectiveness of the water use of the cascade where the company has invested.

The new project significantly increases the installed capacity in the Devolli cascade, which can only be between 800 and 1600 MW from the addition, thus surpassing the Drin cascade, which is the main artery in the country for energy production.

On the bed of the Drin river, the hydropower plants of Fierza, Koman, Vaut te Deja and Ashta (private investment) with an installed capacity of about 1400MW have been built, of which the first three are under the administration of the Albanian Electric Power Corporation.

"The Project Society has carried out some preliminary studies aimed at optimizing the hydrological use of the Devoll River. Studies show that the construction of a plant with a pumped storage system could be feasible and would provide a better use of the hydrological potential of the Devoll river cascade.

Both Co-Concessionaires and the Government of Albania benefit from the optimization due to the increase in the energy storage capacity in the country" says the agreement made public.

Additional capacity project 800-1600 MW

"The Upper Reservoir of the Additional RP Moglica is located about 8 km east of the Moglica Dam where an upper part in the shape of a bowl and a relatively flat upper part of the valley is adapted for daily storage of water for use through a hydropower plant with a pumped reserve system.

The Upper Reservoir will consist of 2 rock fill dams at a height of 20 to 70 m. The underground power station is located on the hill on the left side of the Devoll river branch of the Moglica reservoir.

The plant is equipped with reversible pump turbines. The installed capacity will be approximately 800-1600 MW subject to the final project. The outlet of the discharge tunnel will be submerged and exit to the Moglice HPP Reservoir about 4 km from the Moglice HPP Dam. The scheme uses a gross height of about 620 m between the Upper Reservoir of the Additional RP Moglica and the Reservoir of the HPP Moglica," says the text attached to the agreement.

Referring to a calendar attached to this draft, it is foreseen that in 2024 the feasibility study will be carried out to continue with the final assessment in 2025 and if everything goes according to plan in 2025 the tender will be held. The operation is planned for 2030.

Statkraft 590 million euro investment

The hydropower plants on the Devoll River are the largest hydropower project of the last 30 years implemented in the country. It includes the two large HPPs Banja and Moglica as well as the Kokel HPP project. The first two hydropower plants in operation have an installed capacity of about 256 Me and a projected production of about 700 GWh/year. The investment cost of the Devolli Hydropower Project is estimated at around 590 million Euros. /Monitor.al