Saranda will not suffer any longer from power outages or low voltage, a “gangrene” that has significantly damaged the tourism and economy of the area during the last 25 years, especially in the peak of the summer season.

Prime Minister Rama inspected works for the construction of the new 20 kV line and 17 electric cabs, thanks to an investment of 108 million ALL from OSHEE. Thanks to this investment, intervention was made in the most problematic area of Saranda that affects the road segment from Qafe Gjashta, to Hotel Butrint and the canal of Cuka. This investment by OSHEE is the first one after more than 45 years, during which the network has been abandoned since its construction in the 1970s.

“In 1970 this was an overhead line of 10 kV, while now it is 20 kV and has been put underground. This is the most populated area, having 700 hotels and restaurants, and 2 thousand additional customers”, OSHEE General Director Ardian Çela said.

In his speech, Prime Minister Rama noted that “the network is 45 years old along the entire coast, and since then nobody has done anything. We decided to address this over 20 year-long problem, and actually with the South Ring and all these investments the situation will change radically within 2 years. And thanks to this intervention, starting from next summer Saranda will not face any longer the serious problems it has faced all these years.”

The successful energy reform has enabled OSHEE to come out of the colossal losses and starting to invest in citizen service once again. “Of course we would like everything to be done in a heartbeat, but what was destroyed in over 20 years cannot be rebuilt immediately. The company has been investing in Saranda and everywhere for the first time, and until a year ago, not only didn’t the company have the money to invest, but it would ask for 150-200 million dollars to keep going and not to turn off the lights once and for all. Today, thanks to your contribution, thanks to the contribution of all those who signed agreements, it is paying taxes for the first time and is making investments. This comes as a result of the contribution of the people who have started to pay, and the company pays the taxes and returns the money to people in the form of investments”, the head of the Albanian government added.

Investments in the electricity network in Saranda will continue next year, so that no power outage will occur any longer across the area, even at the peak of the tourist season or during winter.

“Another 330 million ALL will be allocated for Saranda in January. Some 30 cabins will be added in Ksamil, Qafe-Gjashta and Metoqin up to the city center. The 10kv line of the 70s will be replaced, and another 16 thousand customers in Saranda will be added. These are investments that we do with our funds at OSHEE. We do not invest only in informal areas where we have had problems with losses and failure of payments; we invest also in those areas of tourist importance and where customers pay correctly”, the director of OSHEE, Adrian Cela said.

Works were completed within three months, two months before the deadline.