March 17, 2026
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The Green Backbone: Albania and Western Balkan Partners Unveil Strategic Energy Projects for 2026 EU Funding

The Energy Community has officially opened the public consultation for the 2026 list of Projects of Energy Community Interest (PECI), marking a pivotal moment for the Western Balkans’ energy infrastructure. Running from March 16 to April 17, 2026, the consultation evaluates eight critical projects designed to dismantle cross-border bottlenecks and pave the way for a massive influx of renewable energy.

For Albania and its neighbours, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina the selected projects represent a shift from traditional hydroelectric production to a sophisticated, integrated system of large-scale storage and high-voltage transmission corridors. These projects are now positioned to seek diverse financing, including EU grants, Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) funds, and favourable loans from international financial institutions.

Below is a detailed technical and strategic breakdown of the flagship projects currently in the PECI selection pipeline.

1. Project E12: Moglice Pumped-Storage – The Balkans’ “Giant Battery”

At the heart of Albania’s green transition is the Moglice Extension Pumped-Storage Hydropower Plant (PSH). Developed by Devoll Hydropower Sh.A. (part of the Statkraft Group), this project is set to become one of the largest flexibility assets in the region.

  • Technical Parameters:

    • Maximum Power (Pmax): 1,620 MW (with a dynamic operational range of -1,620 MW to +1,620 MW).

    • Storage Capacity: 30,000 MWh (approx. 30 GWh).

    • Voltage: 400 kV.

    • Efficiency: 77% roundtrip efficiency.

  • Strategic Role: The plant will function as a “green battery,” utilizing the existing Moglice reservoir (380 million m³) and a new upper reservoir (25 million m³). It is designed to store surplus energy during periods of high production and release it during peak demand, providing critical balancing services to Albania and neighboring EU markets like Greece and Italy.

  • Timeline: Currently in the economic feasibility stage, with the earliest commissioning targeted for 2033.

2. Project E04: The 220 kV Balkan Triangle Rehabilitation

To ensure the reliability of the “Balkan Triangle” (Albania, Montenegro, and Bosnia & Herzegovina), the rehabilitation of the aging 220 kV Trebinje–Vau i Dejës corridor has been prioritized. This line is a vital artery that has recently struggled with congestion due to new solar and hydro capacities.

  • Technical Parameters:

    • Voltage: 220 kV.

    • Length: 162.92 km.

    • Transmission Power: Upgraded to carry 1,500 A using specialized high-capacity conductors.

    • Promoters: NOS BiH, Elektroprijenos-Elektroprenos BiH, and CGES (Montenegro).

  • Strategic Role: The project addresses severe climatic challenges and infrastructure depreciation. By replacing OPGW, insulation, and conductors on existing poles without increasing mechanical load, the project will increase Net Transfer Capacity (NTC) and resolve long-standing congestions between BA–ME, ME–AL, and AL–BA.

  • Timeline: Currently in the Detail Design Study phase, with an expected commissioning date of 2030.

3. Project E05 & Regional Corridors: Integrating Wind and Strengthening East-West Links

The expansion of the 400 kV network is a two-pronged strategy: strengthening regional East-West ties and unlocking wind potential in Northeast Albania.

A. The East-West Western Section (Project E05)

Connecting Kosovo and North Macedonia, this 103 km interconnector is a key link in the regional transmission “rings.”

  • Technical Parameters: 400 kV; 1330 MW Pmax.

  • Objective: Connecting the upgraded Prizren (XK) substation to a new substation in Tetovo (MK). This project enhances the security of supply and supports the large-scale integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) across the corridor.

  • Timeline: Expected commissioning by 2035.

B. The Albania–Kosovo Interconnection (Strategic Link)

As highlighted by recent strategic filings, Albania is pushing for a new 400 kV interconnection between Fierza (AL) and Prizren (XK).

  • Strategic Role: This link is deemed essential to facilitate the integration of over 1 GW of planned wind energy capacity in Northeast Albania. It will alleviate existing 220 kV grid overloads and significantly boost regional energy trading.

Financing the Future

These PECI projects are governed by the revised EU TEN-E Regulation, which streamlines the path toward final approval in December 2026. Because these projects provide cross-border benefits, they are eligible for a “blended” financing model. This includes state budget allocations, private investment from promoters like Statkraft and KOSTT, and significant support from European Union grants and loans.

As the Western Balkans move away from coal and toward a renewable-heavy mix, these projects—Moglice’s storage, the 220 kV rehabilitation, and the 400 kV corridors—form the essential hardware of a modernized, secure, and decarbonized European energy market.

February 5, 2026
by in News

Serbia’s power utility EPS boosts profit to over EUR 360 million in 2025

Serbian state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) posted a RSD 42.3 billion (EUR 360.3 million) profit for 2025, a significant increase from RSD 26.1 billion the previous year, though still well below the record RSD 114 billion, achieved in 2023. At the EPS shareholder meeting, Serbia’s minister of energy and mining recalled that construction of 1 GW of solar with battery storage is expected to begin this year.

Minister of Energy and Mining Dubravka Đedović Handanović said EPS’s three consecutive years of profitable operations were the result of “prudent and rational management.”

She stressed that 2025 was a year of challenges and reforms and pointed to increased coal production and higher electricity output from thermal power plants. The minister recalled that 76 MW of renewable energy capacity was brought online last year, and that, for the first time, EPS’s power generation portfolio now includes wind and solar.

EPS commissioned 76 MW of renewable energy capacity in 2025

Đedović Handanović also recalled that EPS completed the trial operation of a flue-gas desulfurization system at coal-fired power plant TENT A, as well as the construction of a similar facility at TENT B.

She added that EPS’s investments in 2025 amounted to RSD 52.7 billion, or 97% of the plan, of which RSD 44.97 billion came from its own funds.

The minister said that most of the overhaul work on the second unit of pumped storage hydropower plant Bajina Bašta was completed last year, and that the facility will contribute to Serbia’s energy security at full capacity starting in March.

Đedović Handanović: Pumped storage hydropower plant Bajina Bašta will operate at full capacity from March

She also called for stepping up efforts on the project to build the Bistrica pumped storage hydropower plant, as well as solar power plants.

Construction of 1 GW of solar with batteries should begin this year

Speaking about the 1 GW solar power project with battery storage, Đedović Handanović said that its implementation is expected to begin in 2026 “due to the scope and complexity of the preparatory activities.”

In October 2024, Serbia signed an agreement with the Hyundai Engineering – UGT Renewables consortium on building solar power plants with a total connection capacity of 1,000 MW (1,200 MW in nameplate capacity), along with battery energy storage systems of up to 200 MW in overall capability and a capacity of 400 MWh.

 

December 2, 2025
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Europe’s energy storage capacity to reach 100 GW this year, more than double by 2030

Energy storage in Europe has been expanding rapidly since 2020, with the total installed capacity in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland set to reach 100 GW by the end of November. Pumped hydro storage has the largest share of the existing capacity, 50.6 GW, followed by batteries, with 44.8 GW of operating power, according to an analysis by LCP Delta and Energy Storage Europe.

All energy storage technologies combined are expected to grow by 115%, to 215 GW, by 2030, expanding at a rate of 20 GW to 25 GW per year, according to the report, titled the European Market Monitor on Energy Storage. On November 1, the cumulative figure stood at 99.3 GW.

Battery storage capacity has seen stronger growth than pumped storage hydropower plants this year, with 4 GW of new utility-scale installations, and is projected to expand to 163 GW by 2030.

Battery storage capability is expected to reach 163 GW by 2030

Of the total 44.8 GW of battery capacity, large-scale systems connected to the grid (front of the meter) account for 17 GW, and systems installed on the customer’s side (behind the meter) for 27.8 GW.

According to the report, 18 million homes have a solar system, and four million have battery storage. Residential battery sales are now stabilizing following the 2022-2023 peak, with recovery expected from 2027, supported by a rebounding PV market, rising electrification of homes and transportation, dynamic tariffs, and new financing models.

Europe has 18 million solar homes and four million homes with batteries

Germany has the largest number of home battery systems, 2.1 million, followed by Italy, with 780,000, the UK, with 280,000, Austria, with 200,000, and Belgium, with 160,000.

Jacopo Tosoni, Head of Policy at Energy Storage Europe, hailed energy storage as the fastest-growing clean technology in Europe, with the potential to become the engine of its competitiveness, according to a press release from the association.

Silvestros Vlachopoulos, Energy Storage Research Lead at LCP Delta, said that reaching the 100 GW energy storage capacity marks a key moment for the industry, setting the stage for an even faster renewable energy growth in the coming years.

LCP Delta and Energy Storage Europe believe the energy storage industry is only just getting started and will continue to make a substantial contribution to Europe’s energy transition, according to a press release from the association.

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