TIRANA, November 6 – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku visited today the “Tirana 2” electrical substation. Investments there increase the country’s transmission capacity.

She said the project improves energy supply for the Durrës region and the entire southwest. Balluku underlined that the Transmission System Operator (OST) serves as the backbone of the national energy network.

“In 2013, when the Rama Government took office, system losses reached 45 percent. Today they stand at 17 percent, which is the national average. In areas such as Kombinat neighborhood in Tirana, the loss rate is only 4 percent, matching European standards. Compared with other countries in the region, Albania has achieved a satisfactory performance in reducing network losses,” Balluku said.

She also referred to regional energy projects with neighboring countries. According to her, 80 percent of the works on the Fier–Bitola interconnection project have been completed.

“Energy transmission volumes have increased significantly across the region in the past five years. During summer, when the number of visitors grows and energy demand rises, interconnection lines with Greece and Montenegro reach full capacity. For this reason, Albania, through OST and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, is negotiating with the Italian government and a third partner, the United Arab Emirates, for the construction of an undersea energy line that will directly connect Albania with the Italian coast,” Balluku said.

OST Director Elisian Bici described “Tirana 2” as a key substation of the transmission network. It operates with three voltage levels, 400, 220, and 110 kWh, supplying northern Albania, Durrës, and most of Tirana.

“We have recently invested in the ‘Tirana 2’ substation through the German Development Bank KfW in cooperation with OST. The financial support amounts to 40 million euros. All local costs, including expropriations and other expenses, are covered by the transmission operator for this important substation,” Bici said.

He added that the operator currently manages 220 kWh lines. In the medium-term plan, OST will extend coverage to the 400 kWh line, with only the Rrashbull–Fier section remaining. The project includes two lots. The first covers the expansion of substations and construction of the ‘Tirana 3’ substation. Works have finished in Rashbull and “Tirana 2,” and transformers are now operational.

/a.p./