UNMIK/PR/46
*note correction to para 5.
PRISTINA—Kosovo should have enough power to supply electricity and heating through the winter. A strategy aimed at securing a reliable power supply was adopted this week by the international community and representatives of the Kosovar power sector.
Representatives from UNMIK, KFOR, major donors and former and current Albanian and Serb managers from the Kosovo power sector all agreed on the strategy at a meeting on Wednesday.
The European Commission Task Force is the lead donor in a financial package that will total roughly 60 million Euros. The United Kingdom (through DIFID) is another major donor, together with the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Norway.
The EC Task Force will contribute immediately 9 million Euros toward the purchase of fuel and new equipment, payments to Kosovar workers and financing of repairs. Another 10 million euros will be sought later in the year.
British Trade International, a consortium of companies from the British energy
sector, will manage the rehabilitation and repair of Kosovo’spower sector, which is under the overall management of UNMIK through March 2000. BTIwill work closely with the Kosovars at the power stations, and will ultimately turn them over to Kosovar management. The management team will be accountable to a supervisory board, chaired by UNMIK and major donors.
Kosovo’s power sector suffers from years of neglect as well as the effects of air strikes during the past spring.
To ensure a constant and adequate supply of electricity and heat for the winter, EU experts proposed the strategy which includes the following:
- Production will be restored at the two coal mines to meet the needs ofthe two power plants -- “Kosovo A,” and “B”.
- The two units of Kosovo A will be kept running all winter, while the two units of Kosovo B will go through major repairs at staggered times. Kosovar power sector workers, with the help ofKFOR, have managed to restart both plants since the conflict. However both are in extreme states of disrepair and breakdown frequently.
- Repairs will be done on the three major transmission lines.
- Distribution will be restored to communities across Kosovo.
- The district heating plant in Pristina will be repaired and supplied with fuel.
Arrangements for charging customers will be set up in January.
