According to data published by the Albanian Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), Albania’s electricity sector recorded a strong expansion in the first quarter of 2026, with total production reaching 3,647 GWh, marking a significant increase of 63.2% year-on-year compared to 2,234 GWh in the same period of the previous year. This sharp growth highlights the continued strengthening of the country’s generation capacity, primarily driven by hydropower resources.
Electricity exports also showed exceptional performance during the period, more than doubling by 105.4% and reaching a total of 1,503 GWh between January and March 2026. At the same time, electricity imports declined substantially, falling by 57.4% to just 327 GWh, reflecting Albania’s improved self-sufficiency and stronger export-oriented energy balance.
The structure of Albania’s electricity generation remained heavily dominated by hydropower, which accounted for approximately 93% of total production in the first quarter. This includes 45.7% generated by state-owned hydropower plants and 47.3% produced by privately owned facilities, underlining the sector’s mixed ownership model and the central role of hydro resources in national energy supply.
Domestic electricity consumption also increased during the period, reaching 1,954 GWh, which represents a year-on-year growth of 9.1%. This indicates rising internal demand alongside expanding production and export capacity.
At the same time, electricity network losses rose by 7.7%, climbing to 515 GWh in the January–March 2026 period compared to 478 GWh a year earlier. This increase suggests ongoing challenges in distribution efficiency despite strong overall performance in generation and trade balances.
