Video message of the Prime Minister Edi Rama – POSITIVE NEWS and why the 800 kW electricity consumption cap for household consumers won’t enter into force on October 1

As we have already announced, an 800 kW electricity consumption limit over the government subsidized rate for the household consumers was planned to enter into force as of October 1, or tomorrow. This power consumption cap primarily aims to ensure continued protection for 96% of the households, which do not exceed the consumption cap of 800 kW during winter.

On the other hand, the threshold aims for 4% of the subscribers that exceed this cap and consume nearly 20% of the entire amount of electricity, to pay the real price for every kW unit above 800 kW.

This is not our invention, but a practice applied by many countries to promote energy efficiency and saving during such a gloomy era worldwide due to war -driven inflation, as well as to avoid paying from everyone’s taxes the protection of the subsidized rate for the high consumption of a minority of people.

Saving energy is the main weapon to get over this winter without power outages.

It is not me telling this, but the logic arising from the global crisis caused by the war between two of the world’s most important suppliers of energy, wheat and corn and endorsed by all European governments

Some among us here in Albania claim that our country has nothing to do with the energy crisis, because it is rich in hydro sources and has many hydropower plants, but neither the first nor the second latter are true.

Water resources rely on rainfall, but even if this year could be unlike the last three years, which have seen negative precipitation records, our electricity generation system through the hydropower plants at their maximum quotas meets only 75% of the domestic demand.

As you have already witnessed, we are working on delivering on the target to meet 100% of the needs with domestic energy generation within this 10-year period, and make Albania an energy sovereign country, as well as a net exporter of energy.

Just because we cannot meet all the domestic demand for now, we need to turn to the international market, where all European countries are hit by sky-rocketing energy prices in this time of war.

However, his government and I are here, not only to ensure protection and unchanged energy prices for the household and business consumers and their continued power supply, but also to do utmost efforts to relieve as much as possible the actual burden and psychological effects of this war, and of the inflation it has triggered.

 

I have positive news after a long discussion we had until late at night.

On September 1, when we set the 800 kW consumption limit, the demand for energy from Power Corporation (KESH) was about 17,000 Kwh, today it is about 11,000 Kwh.”

On September 1, when we launched the limit above 800 Kwh, demand was significantly higher than it is today, and this significant decrease is attributed to the weather conditions but also the marked shift in the approach of household consumers to save energy.

 On the other hand, in the last few days, we have seen an improvement in the water level in Fierza dam, which is the main source of energy, and we expect that the forecasts for precipitation will materialize at the end of the first ten days of October

Therefore, under these conditions, based on a much more detailed analysis of all technical indicators and projections, as well as given the full commitment to use every opportunity and space to somehow relieve the current burden and psychological effects of this situation on all families, although it was not caused by the government, although the government has the burden of its management as best as possible, we decided that the 800 Kw consumption cap will not take effect in October.

And while everyone should show utmost care and save as much electricity as possible, no one should doubt that I and this government will do the best.

Inflation was triggered by the war and not by the government, but the government will be up for the task to make sure that just like we did well in dealing with the earthquake and the pandemic aftermath, we will also succeed in coping with this fresh disaster that has gripped the world, and Europe where we live in particular.