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Albanian City Opposes Coal Power Plant
Tirana | 19 October 2009 | Besar Likmeta
More than two-thirds of Durres citizens oppose Italian energy giant Enel’s plans to built a coal-fired thermal power plant adjacent to the port city, a poll conducted by an environmental NGO shows.
According to the EDEN environmental centre survey, 72.4 per cent of respondents oppose the construction of the power plant, while 21.4 per cent are in favour, and 6.2 per cent unsure.
“Based on Albania’s legislation, before the construction of the power plant is approved the will of the local community must be considered, and this poll shows clearly that the majority [of the local community] is against the plant,” EDEN said in a statement on Friday.
Roughly 61 per cent of those surveyed believe that the thermal power plant will be a health hazard, while 55 per cent of respondents think that the plant will have a negative impact on the environment.
The Enel project includes the construction of a 1,600MW coal-fired thermal power plant and of a supply line to Italy. The electricity produced by the plant will supply both the Albanian and Italian grids.
In April, The Ekolevizja movement, an umbrella organisation representing several Albanian environmental NGOs, accused Enel of ignoring Albanian laws in its environmental impact study of the plant, by misrepresenting the nation’s energy strategy and providing misleading information on the application of technologies for the carbon capture of emissions.
“Because the evaluation of the environmental impact presented by Enel contains serious errors and misleading information, we have requested that the Environment Ministry refuse the permits necessary for this project’s construction,” said Merita Mansaku, Albania regional coordinator for CEE Bankwatch Network.
According to Ekolevizja, Enel’s environmental impact report does not give a clear evaluation of carbon emissions by the plant during production.
Environmental groups estimate that, if the Albanian government proceeds with the project proposed by Enel, its carbon-fired thermal power plants will increase carbon emissions in Albania by between 6 to 7 million tons every year, doubling current emission levels.
“Although Albania is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, it is not specified in any agreement that Albania has signed with the Italian energy giant who [...] should bear the burden of the environmental costs of Enel’s plants,” said Xhemal Mato, Ekolevizja’s executive director.
When contacted by Balkan Insight, Enel’s press office directed all questions to the company’s International Business Development officer, Marco Arceli, but he was not available for comment. Follow-up emails to the company did not elicit a reply.
Over the past decade, Albania has been hit by an acute energy crisis, with regular power cuts throughout the country, including the capital Tirana.
Almost all of Albania’s domestically-produced electricity is generated by hydropower plants, which are badly affected by drought; but even when rain is plentiful, the obsolete distribution grid causes major problems.
International organisations monitoring the Albanian economy, including the IMF and World Bank, have expressed concern that the energy crisis could have an adverse effect on the country’s robust economic growth, which has been averaging close to 6 per cent per annum since 2006.
Because of the energy crises, environmental groups are concerned the government is not doing enough to monitor possible polluters that seek to invest in the energy field.
“From what we understand, most of the environmental studies presented by companies seeking to invest in Albania are publicised as according to standards, but that is not true,” said Mansaku. Source: Balkaninsight
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