The procedure is suspended until further notice and the reason for the suspension is the coronavirus outbreak. Albanian Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy announced that it has suspended a public call for local and foreign investors interested in acquiring stake in the operator of the future national energy exchange. The Ministry said in a statement that some interested parties were unable to submit the requested documentation at the public call due to travel restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the outbreak.
The public call was launched in early March and the deadline for the submission of bids was 27 April. The operator of the future energy exchange will be established by Albanian state-owned power transmission system operator OST and will function as a joint stock company. The state will hold 35 % of the shares of the operator through OST. Transmission operators from other countries may own up to 20.5 %, experienced international energy exchange operators may have stakes of up to 24.5 %, while electricity market participants and financial institutions may hold up to 10 % each.
Last year, the Government approved the establishment of a national electricity exchange in accordance with European directives as a step forward in the reforms of the energy sector. Minister of Energy Belinda Balluku said that the establishment of a national electricity exchange will spur further liberalization and deregulation of the electricity market in Albania. The decision was made with the help of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Energy Community (EnC) Secretariat. The future exchange will feature day-ahead and intraday trading platforms. She also said that the exchange will operate in the regional market and invited the operators of electricity transmission system of neighboring countries, with whom Albania has a Memorandum of Understanding, to participate in the exchange as shareholders. The opening of the future exchange to all market operators will guarantee fast and flexible market operation in order to increase the security of Albanian electricity supply and financial transparency as well as deliver on commitments towards the Energy Community.
