Intervista/ Inxhinieri Austriak Hannes Posch, Ekspert Në Sektorin ...
Interview/Austrian Engineer, Hannes Posch, expert in the energy sector
shows the benefits that Albania has from the construction of HEC
Posch: HEC’s privatisation, Albanian Government is on track
Teuta Shamku
If an Albanian businessman would be in dilemma to invest its capital, Austrian
engineer and expert in the energy sector, Manager Hannes Posch, “Ces Clean
Energy Solutions” (branch of “iC consulenten” company) suggests building a
small hydro plant. According to Posch, investment in small hydropower plants is
long, but certainly a gain for sufficient incomes.
In an interview given to ‘’standart” newspapper, Posch has shown the importance
of the development and construction of small plants, from the Albanian private
businesses, as well as the country's economy. According Posch, Albania has
hydro carrying capacities for building 2000 small hydropower plants, which would
make enough electricity for export to the Balkan countries. Posch shows that
from the engeneering point of view , the building of these HEC is possible thanks
to the geographical construction of Albania and suitable water sources for
building these HECs. He praises the privatization process and giving the
concession to small hydropower plants, but on the other hand states that great
job has to be done for preparing the correct documentation for the projects of
these HECs.
He positively evaluates the work done by the Albanian government in this regard,
while adding that his company is here to provide the necessary assistance for the
development of small HECs.
He has stressed that the government has taken the necessary policies to build
more small HECs. “iC consulenten Zt. GsmbH”, a consultancy company in the
fields of engineering services, has begun working in Albania in mid-'90 years,
being part of the activities of research, design and supervision with international
financing institutions in Albania. As a result of new developments in Albanian
Market, ‘’iC consulenten’’ from Vienna, recently, established two daughter
companies directly related with service market in Albania. As a result of new
developments in Albania market , iC recently established to new daughter
companies directly related to Albanian market.
The first daughter company ‘’IC consulenten’’ shpk will performe ingineering
consultancy for local market whereas the second one CES shpk will focus on
dynamics of energetic market in Albania.
Recent years the government has given priority to privatization of small
HECs. There have existed about 85 small HECs, and most of them were
given the concession
How did your company help the Albanian investors to develop the HECs
tecnology?
-Our company has made the first study in 1994 and at that time we analyzed
about 80 existing small hydro plants, about 20 of them were in working
conditions.
At that time we recommended that all of these hydropower plants should be
rehabilitated from the private sector but KESH did not agree. Its representatives
said that they will make any appropriate step but nothing happened, meanwhile
the Government is pressing for the privatization of small HECs.
Now, 15 years later, how do you see dhe government’s policy, its
development, are there steps foreward done in this direction?
-We should understand that time is needed to change the systems in every
country. On my private opinion, I think that the Albanian government is in the
right direction.
They have understood that private businesses should be included for achieving
results in this sector. Of course, they have problems in organization and
administration. People should understand what a small hydro plant is.
There is not a large plant reduced. Before 3 years it was started with the process
of concession and it was very difficult for private businesses to conceive it, but
now I see that things get better every year
Mr. Posch, is Albanian bussiness matured enough to invest in HECs?
-It is a question that can not answer this simply. The primary thing is that private
sector has money. But in countries with transition period the money go to
investments that provide rapid return and no on long-term investments. But this is
very natural, because people need to see how the political system is, how stable
it is. We should understand that when we talk about small HECs we have a 10
years period, so the real profit can be realized after 10 years. When I came here I
was telling my friends that Albanians in Austria have a stable social system, and
these things in your country will want some time but if you want to do something
good for your family just have a small hydro plant and after 10 years you will not
have any more debts and in the morning you will see in your mobile phone how
much money you earned while you were sleeping because hydropower works for
you. It's the same in Austria, many people who want to ensure their families, do
exactly this business; small hydropower plants. Perhaps I gave you a good
example for Albania. In 1936, several Austrian installed a small plant in the area
of Korca (HEC in Vithkuq) and is still producing electricity with the same
equipments of 1936 and now the company that I work for, is expanding the
capacity of the hydropower production. So, this plant has more than 70 years and
continues to work and produce energy.
You have stated that Albania has the capacity to build about 2000 small
HECs. What is needed to do this, political will, investment capacities, what
should be coordinated to achieve this?
-First of all i see the political will to move foreward. What happened, they started
the privatisation proccess? Most of people thought to take a HEC in concession
and i will sell it in the market, and each of them thought that foreigners would
come to buy it for more money. The problem is that all the documents were not
accurate and foreigners coming to invest understand their business and if they
do not see the appropriate documents, they do not come. These are things which
happened in the beginning.
Now as you know there some Austrian companies who have come here and are
looking for large hydropower plants, “Ferbund”, EVN etc. I think this movement of
these large companies for large hydropower plants will create a movement for
small hydropower plants. I think that Albanians investors should share things with
foreign partners, making "joint venture" and when they will understand that you
should invest the proper preparation of projects, it has to function. Current
tendering procedures are not in the correct level, especially with regard to
documentation. But I see that every year there are changes done and there are
people really interested in the development of small hydropower plants. So now
there are serious people in this sector, I am optimistic and this is why we are
here
