Test commissioning started in the presence of PM Sali Berisha
Ashta, June 15th, 2012
Roughly 27 months after the start of construction of HPP Ashta the first Hydromatrix®-Turbines were synchronized to the Albanian Grid at Ashta 1. Thus Energji Ashta – a 50/50joint venture between VEBUND und EVN- started the test commissioning for the Power plant which will be inaugurated in September 2012.
On this occasion Prime Minister Sali Berisha inspected together with board member of VERBUND Günther Rabensteiner, chairmanof VERBUND supervisory board Gilbert Frizberg and Energji Ashta Managing Director Dietmar Reiner the construction progress of HPP Ashta.
Energji Ashta is the first of the big concessionaires for hydro power plants in Albania to contribute significantly to the supply of electric energy in Albania. The test commissioning phase has been reached in a record time of 44 months after signing the concession agreement.
HPP Ashta – consisting of Ashta 1 and Ashta 2 -have a total installed capacity of 53 MW. From 2013 240 million kWh of electricity will be produced in Ashta. In this way, 100,000 Albanian households can be supplied with electricity. More than 200 million Euro will be invested. From 2012, the electricity generated will be fed into the Albanian 110-kV grid.
The project is really favorable to the environment – Energy will be produced without any air pollution saving around 114,000 tons / year CO2. Furthermore, fish will be able to swim from the Adriatic sea up to the Spathara reservoir via the new fish pass installed at the HPP Ashta for the first time since the 70ies of the 20th century – this will be the first fish pass installed at a hydroelectric power station in Albania at all.
The project underlies the Clean development Mechanism (CDM) by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC wants a highly elaborated stakeholder dialogue as part of the CDM Management and monitors it closely. HPP Ashta was introduced to the local and regional stakeholders in public information meetings and these meetings are repeated on a regular basis.