Albanian Power Corporation is continuously monitoring the hydrological situation at Drini Cascade and is optimizing the management of water inflows, reducing the risk of flooding in the downstream area of Shkodra Region.
The recent precipitation has significantly increased the water inflows in the basins of Drin river Cascade. Natural water inflows recorded in Drin River Cascade during the last 24 hours have been approximately 1050 m3/sec. (750 m3/sec in the basin of Fierza HPP,240 m3/sec in the basin of Koman HPP and 65 m3/sec in the basin of Vau Dejës HPP).
KESH is managing the Hydropower Plants of Drin Cascade at an optimal operation regime, in full accordance with the provisions of the Regulation on Floods Management, producing about 24 million KWh of electricity per day from all the available Units. This produced electricity is basically used to meet the domestic needs, whereas surpluses are sold in the deregulated market.
The cascade floods through Vaui DejësHPP (last hydropower plant of the cascade) are managed under a balanced regime of operation through turbines & discharge for a total of approx. 870 m3/sec or 180 m3/sec less than the natural water inflow; once they exit from this hydropower plant, they are managed by Ashta HPP.
We would like to emphasize the fact that Buna river collects the water inflow managed through the three HPPs of the Cascade, including Ashta HPP, as well as the water inflows coming from the rivers of Gjadri and Kiri that do not originate from the basin of Drini river and Shkodra Lake, which flow directly into Buna river.
KESH has under control the current hydropower situation and ensures that discharges shall take place only if they are necessary, as provided for in the Regulation on Floods Management, and in any case shall not exceed the natural water inflow in Drini Cascade, thus minimizing the adverse consequences for inhabited areas in the downstream of Shkodra Region.
We ensure that HPPs in Driniriver Cascade are managed by the Albanian Power Corporation, in accordance with the legal and regulatory framework in force and the controlled discharges shall not cause floods.
The floods in the down stream area of Shkodra Region, as reported today in the media, are not related to the controlled discharges that are always made with a view of managing the water inflow and preventing floods.
In this context and with a view of preventing panic among the population, KESH asks the media to show a spirit of understanding and show proper diligence when publishing data or disseminating information coming from unconfirmed sources or technically incompetent sources.Mean while, KESH is always open to make available to the media and to any interested person, any information requested on the hydropower situation.
According to the data of the Cascade Monitoring and Operation Unit at KESH, it follows that today, on 10 March 2016, at 12.00 o’clock:
the level at Fierza HPP is 293.45m, the water inflow approx. 500 m³/sec,
the level at Koman HPP is 173.49m, the water inflow approx. 180 m³/sec,
the level at V. Dejës HPP is 74.87 m, the water inflow approx. 70 m³/sec
