Albania has signed this Tuesday, a strategic energy agreement with the United States of America and Greece, which foresees the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the USA for 20 years.
The agreement between Venture Global, Aktor LNG and Albania has a value of 6 billion dollars and aims to strengthen energy and national security in the region, positioning our country as an important actor in the energy map of the Balkans.
During his speech at the press conference, the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Enea Karakaçi, emphasized that energy security is already at the top of the national agenda and that this project represents a transformation of Albania’s energy system.
He stated that “Energy security has moved and is at the top of our national agenda as a key element of economic stability and national resilience. For Albania this means taking concrete steps to diversify our energy sources, reduce exposure to hydrological risks and build a sustainable and future-oriented system.”
Minister Karakaçi added that at the heart of this transformation lies the strategic partnership with the United States.
“In this context, Albania is taking decisive steps to transform its energy system and at the heart of it lies our deep strategic partnership with the USA. This reflects a shared vision to build a secure and sustainable energy future, supported by long-term planning.”
A central pillar of this vision is the development of the Vlora Energy Center, which is expected to redefine Albania’s role in regional energy projects, which, as the minister said, “The center of Vlora brings several key moments: first, the revitalization of the Vlora plant; secondly, the implementation of the capacities of the second generation with 250 megawatts; also the reclassification of infrastructure including a warehouse and another unit. The Fier-Vlora pipeline that connects this to the regional gas transmission network is also foreseen. All these together build an energy security platform that will increase energy production capacities in Albania, diversify the energy mix and strengthen the country’s energy independence.”
According to him, the Vlora Energy Center will enable the redefinition of Albania as a strategic energy gateway in the Balkan region, connecting the import of liquefied natural gas to the regional market and reducing dependence on single sources. The minister concluded his speech by emphasizing.
“The new center of Vlora will position our country as a strategic gateway in the Balkan region, connecting the import of gas with the market. We will have a diversified path, reduce dependence on single sources and increase the resilience of our energy system.”
Among other things, the minister emphasized that this major energy project is expected to bring about an important transformation for Albania, placing it in a key role in the energy security of the region and strengthening the strategic partnership with the United States and Greece.
