Drini River is the longest river in Albanian territories, spanning 160 km. It is created near Kukës from interflow of its two main branches: the White Drin, originating near Peja and flowing into the Fierza Lake, and the Black Drin, originating from Lake Ohrid in Struga.
In northern Albania, the Drin River has been transformed into a chain of artificial lakes (Fierza, Koman, and Vau i Dejës), which supply water to three major hydropower plants in the cascade.
The main tributaries of the Drin River include the Shala River and Valbona River, which originate in the Albanian Alps and flow into Lake Koman. Near Shkodra, Drini merges with Buna River and flows into the Adriatic Sea.
The Drin River hosts four hydropower plants, with a total installed capacity of approximately 1400 MW, of which three are under the management of the Albanian Power Corporation:
- Fierza Hydropower Plant began operation in 1978 and has an installed capacity of 500 MW (4 x 125 MW)
- Koman Hydropower Plant began operation in 1985 and has an installed capacity of 600 MW (4 x 150 MW)
- Vau i Dejës Hydropower Plant began operation in 1971 and has an installed capacity of 250 MW (5 x 50 MW)
The Drin Cascade is unique in Europe due to dams height, dams type, the reservoirs they create and the installed capacity of its hydropower plants, and their operational management.
