The new Gas Maintenance Centre in Fier is an investment that delivers best international contemporary standards, whose operation is key to the country’s gasification process. The centre was built by Albania’s gas infrastructure operator Albgaz on the basis of the agreement with the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project (TAP), under which Albania is committed to ensuring the safe and efficient maintenance of TAP and the gas pipeline plants along the entire of pipeline stretch through the territory of Albania. The new compound has been designed according to the most modern standards and criteria, based on the industrial models of SNAM (Italy), one of the largest and most technologically advanced transmission operators in Europe and the world.

Prime Minister Edi Rama today visited the new Centre, where 36 young boys and girls, selected through a merit-based and transparent process in collaboration with the University and after attending a training programme in Albania and Italy to operate the Centre.

The Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku said that work is already underway to construct a second maintenance centre in the south-eastern district of Korça. “This used to be an obsolete industrial plot, which we reconstructed from scratch. Right now we are doing the same thing in Korça. A very important with a lot of experience in the field of gas, such as SNAM is assisting us in this process, as they control 25% of TAP shares, but have also helped us a lot in training the new employees we have hired through a very transparent process last year,” Minister Balluku explained.

A group of 510 candidates filed their applications initially and underwent a transparent six-stage selecting process and only 36 winners were picked at the end of process. The 36 winners then attended a nine-month training program. “It is the first time that training program in this industry takes place in Albania under a funding of 1.3 million euros provided by TAP and ALBGAZ. Training program lasted nine months and the engineers attending the program then have visited all SNAM assets and plants,” Albagaz administrator Arbër Avrami said.

Meanwhile, the second Center in Korça will be tasked with maintaining of the south-eastern segment of TAP.