Kosovo A power station

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Kosovo A power station is an operating power station of at least 610-megawatts (MW) in Obiliq, Kosovo, Kosovo with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Kosovo power station.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Kosovo A power station Obiliq, Kosovo, Kosovo 42.676454, 21.085922 (exact)
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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5: 42.676454, 21.085922

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology CHP Start year Retired year
Unit 1 Retired coal: lignite 65 subcritical yes 1962 2006
Unit 2 Retired coal: lignite 125 subcritical yes 1965 2010
Unit 3 Operating coal: lignite 200 subcritical – 1970 –
Unit 4 Operating coal: lignite 200 subcritical – 1971 2031 (planned)[1]
Unit 5 Operating coal: lignite 210 subcritical – 1975 2026[1][2]

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner Parent
Unit 1 Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100%][3] Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100.0%]
Unit 2 Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100%][3] Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100.0%]
Unit 3 Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100%][3] Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100.0%]
Unit 4 Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100%][3] Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100.0%]
Unit 5 Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100%][3] Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC [100.0%]

Ownership Tree

This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.

Background

The plant consisted of five units built in 1962 and 1975. The first two units have been retired, leaving only three units of about 200 MW each. It is owned and operated by state-owned Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës JSC (Kosovo Energy Corporation, KEK).[4] Coal is supplied from the Sibovc Southwest coal mine.

The power plant produced 2.3 billion kWh of electricity in 2022, according to Kosovo Energy Corporation.[4] In 2023, about 2.29 million MWh were produced at Kosovo A power station.[4] In 2024, an online business journal claimed that the annual electricity production of TPP Kosovo A was at about 1,500 GWh.[5] Unit A3 produced 650,000 MWh of electricity in 2024, slightly down from 680,000 MWh in 2023.[6]

In April 2023, it was reported that the CEO of KEK was arrested on charges of abuse of power, influence peddling, and conflict of interest. Local media outlets reported that the CEO's arrest was related to contracts issued as part of a project to refurbish the 200 MW Unit 5 at the power station. The unit had been offline for ten months, and after an unsuccessful tender process, a contract was entered into for urgent repair work without a public procurement process.[7] In May 2023, Unit 5 resumed operations after being idle for nearly a year when it was shut down for regular maintenance.[8]

Kosovo continues to breach the ceilings for all three pollutants, by a large margin. Dust emissions have always been the biggest problem, but in 2022 SO2 and NOX emissions also increased significantly compared to 2021, while dust ones stayed almost the same. Dust pollution was 4.3 times above the national level ceiling set out in Annex 275 of the NERP, at 5,867 tonnes. This was slightly less than 2021 emissions, but equal to 2020.[9]

Planned retirement and 2023 Energy Strategy

The whole plant was earmarked for decommissioning already in 2017, as it was foreseen that the new Kosovo C power station would come into operation.[10] However that project did not proceed and was ultimately called off in 2020 while Kosova A continued to operate.

In March 2023, Kosovo's new energy strategy until 2031 included plans to refurbish at least one unit of Kosovo A power station by 2024, in addition to both units of Kosovo B power station.[11]

The Energy Strategy 2022-2031 document outlined that one of Kosovo A units would be refurbished by the end of 2024, while the decision to refurbish or phase out the second unit would be made in 2024 at the latest. The refurbished unit(s) would operate in a strategic reserve mode from 2028 to 2030, meaning these unit(s) would be available in the crucial higher demand heating season, or during extraordinary occasions such as the recent energy crisis. The third operating A unit would be permanently closed once the refurbishment of the other lignite unit(s) is complete.[12][10] (this was presumed to be Unit 5)

Another source referred to the plan to refurbish the Kosovo A plant as controversial as the World Bank and the European Commission have long been urging for it to be closed.[13] Bankwatch reports dated June 2023 and September 2024 also highlighted the problem with the plan as the age of these units is over 50 years and that the end of 2024 would be impossible to meet for the refurbishment. Additionally, the estimated cost of the required investment at Kosova A is EUR 120 million per unit and it was not clear how Kosovo could secure this funding.[9][14] As of September 2024, there was no sign of refurbishment publicly recorded.[14] Likewise, there was no announcement of the decision to refurbish or phase out another unit, as previously anticipated.

Unit A3 rehabilitation

In September 2024, it was reported that the Bulgarian company Central Energy Repair Base (CERB) had been awarded a contract to carry out overhaul works at the Kosovo A thermal power plant. The works reportedly included refurbishment activities on Unit A5. According to the report, the overhaul involved non-destructive testing and inspections of turbine components, as well as vibration measurements before and after turbine repairs.[15]

In January 2025, Kosovo Energy Corporation launched a EUR 137.34 million tender for the rehabilitation and modernization of Unit A3, financed entirely from KEK's own funds. The project aimed to extend the unit's operational lifespan by 20 years (to 150,000 hours total), increase its gross capacity from approximately 130 MW to 215 MW, raise annual operating hours from around 5,400 to 7,700, and reduce dust, NOx and SO2 emissions by over 50% through modern technology. The works were expected to be completed within two years of contract signing.[16]

In July 2025, KEK suspended the tender after receiving a complaint from an economic operator alleging discriminatory criteria, with opposition representatives publicly raising concerns over alleged procedural irregularities and potential corruption in the tender process.[17] The suspension was a standard legal procedure under Kosovo's Public Procurement Law. On July 10, 2025, the Procurement Review Body (PRB) rejected the complaint as inadmissible, and KEK confirmed the project would proceed. On July 17, 2025, bids were officially opened in the pre-qualification phase; five consortia submitted applications, comprising companies from Kosovo, Turkey, China, South Korea, India and other countries. As of July 2025, the tender was in the pre-qualification phase, with five consortia having submitted bids; no contract had been awarded as of that date.[18][19] There were no updates as of May 2026, presumably, the tender was still ongoing.

Units A4 and A5

In January 2026, Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) awarded a contract for a capital overhaul of the boiler at Unit 5. The contract was awarded on 14 January 2026 to Intering SH.P.K. for a total value of EUR 2.1 million.[20] According to KEK's draft investment plan for 2026, Unit A5 was scheduled to be taken out of service from February 14 to May 5, 2026 for capital works. The concurrent planned overhaul of Kosovo B Unit B2 from March to April 2026 raised concerns at the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) about security of electricity supply, which requested that KEK reschedule at least one of the outages.[21]

In April 2026, KEK said that Kosovo A Unit A4 was expected to undergo a controlled shutdown because of technical problems in the boiler system.[22] In May 2026, KEK said Unit A4 had returned to operation after repairs to the boiler piping system and the completion of technical preparations for start-up.[23]

In January 2026, KEK stated that there were still no concrete decisions on the future of Kosovo A Units A4 and A5, and that any assessment would be made after the completion of capital modernization projects at Kosovo A Unit A3 and Kosovo B Units B1 and B2. KEK stated that these investments were expected to improve operational safety, extend the technical lifetime of the units by about two decades, increase generation capacity by about 130 MW, and align environmental standards with EU requirements.[24]

Current operations (Unit 4)

In April 2026, KEK announced that Kosovo A Unit A4 would be stopped around midnight because of problems observed with the unit's condenser. KEK said that continued operation under those conditions could cause greater damage, and that the controlled shutdown was intended as a preventive measure to preserve the unit's integrity and avoid a serious failure. At the time, KEK said it was operating three generating units: Kosovo B Unit B2 and Kosovo A Units A3 and A4.[25]

In May 2026, KEK said Kosovo A Unit A4 had returned to operation after repairs to the boiler piping system and the completion of technical preparations for start-up.[26]

Draft NECP 2023

Kosovo presented their draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) in July 2023 and the Energy Community Secretariat provided its comments and recommendations in December 2023. The draft NECP mirrors the 2023 Energy Strategy and foresees the refurbishment of at least one unit in TPP Kosovo A with increased net capacity. The refurbishment aims to serve energy security objectives, with putting the said units into strategic reserve from 2028 (although the Secretariat noted that the strategic reserve should only be used as a resort measure). The Secretariat highlights that it would be important to indicate the results of a cost-benefit analysis that was carried out to underpin such a policy decision, including the benefits and costs of alternative energy security solutions.[27]

Furthermore, it was not clear how many or whether any units of TPP Kosovo A would remain operational after 2031. The draft NECP foresees the closure of the third unit after the rehabilitation of one or two other units (ie from 2025), and another part of the draft NECP outlines the decommissioning of one of the units with a net installed capacity of 116 MW by 2031. This would mean that a refurbished unit is closed down and the EUR 120 mln investment cost of the rehabilitation is to be written off by 2031. It would be important to clearly present the anticipated benefits and the costs of alternative energy security solutions, which could yield the same level of energy security.[27][28]

The Energy Secretariat urged Kosovo to commit to phase out coal by 2050 in its final NECP.[28][27]

As of May 2024, there was no further news on the refurbishment of the units. The final NECP had to be presented by June 30, 2024.[27] As of December 2024, the final NECP had not yet been submitted.[29] In March 2025, Kosovo adopted its first voluntary Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which referenced the forthcoming NECP as a key planning document, confirming that the final NECP had not yet been adopted at that point.[30]

By December 2025, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina were the only two Energy Community Contracting Parties that had not yet adopted their final NECPs.[31][32]

There were no updates as of May 2026.

Rolling blackouts

In August 2022, Kosovo became the first European country to impose temporary grid disconnections on their customers since the war in Ukraine began causing energy security concerns globally. As units at both Kosovo A and Kosovo B power stations were offline for maintenance, output had been too low for the summer heatwave, and rolling blackouts were enforced. Initially, the country hoped to be bailed out by capacity support from neighbouring Albania. However, their hydropower-dominated system was also strained by prolonged drought in the Balkan region.[33]

In September 2022, electricity production in the Balkans continued to be strained by very limited coal supplies and depleted hydropower reservoirs.[34] Coal unit failures at the Kosovo A power station and the Pljevlja Power Station highlighted that energy security and reliability may be a serious concern for Winter 2022/23.[35]

Incidents

June 2014 explosion

On Friday June 6 an explosion ripped through part of the plant killing two workers and injuring thirteen.[36] (One news report – citing Derat Rukiqi, the chairman of plant's management board – put the death toll at three[37] while other early local news reports stated the death toll was four.[38])

A Kosovo Energy Corporation media release stated that there had been two fatalities with a third missing worker found alive.[39] A plant worker, who was outside the plant at the time of the explosion, that "there was a huge fire that broke out after the explosion. Panic broke out. We started to run as no-one knew what was going on."[37] (A short video clip of smoke billowing from the plant is available here).

It was reported that the origin of the explosion was a hydrogen tank in the electrolysis unit. As a result of the disaster the plant has been shut down for an unspecified time. In response to the shut down the Kosovo's energy distribution and supply company, KEDS, stated that it would import 250 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity to cover demand.[40]

In a statement after the disaster, the Kosovo Civil Society Consortium for Sustainable Development called on:[41]

"the authorities to light the truth about this incident. KOSID also calls KEK to take immediate measures to increase safety at work, taking into account the high number of workers who have lost their lives in their workplace in this corporation since the end of the war in Kosovo. Explosions like this today should be avoided regardless of the cost."
"The extraordinary risk for employees of this corporation is stated several times by both international institutions and domestic ones. A study by the European Commission on decommissioning the power plant "Kosova A" published in March 2010, had highlighted the high health and safety risks for the operators and for the maintenance workers due to breakdown of plant systems and structures, neglected maintenance and poor housekeeping. We call on the authorities to take stringent security measures to avoid any other possible disaster. For the safety of workers, no compromise should be made."

Explosion at water canal

In November 2024, eight people were arrested after an explosive charge damaged a water canal supplying Kosovo A and Kosovo B power station. Power generation was reportedly not affected.[42] In December 2025, Kosovo's state prosecutor reported that three suspects were charged for allegedly detonating explosives in the canal, which damaged the structure and disrupted the cooling system of the coal-fired power plants.[43]

Financing

In March 2024, the European Investment Bank agreed to provide a €33 million (US$36 million) loan to Kosovo Energy Corporation for a 120 MW solar project on the former coal ash dump at the Kosovo A power station.[44]

Environmental impact

In its 2025 implementation report, the Energy Community Secretariat stated that Kosovo's 2024 emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and dust from large combustion plants all increased year-on-year, and that compliance with NERP ceilings remained unattainable. The Secretariat stated that the temporary compliance with the sulphur dioxide ceiling recorded in 2023 was not repeated in 2024, and that breaches of the nitrogen oxides and dust ceilings remained unresolved, with dust non-compliance reaching a record high because of the decreasing ceiling.[45]

Solar project at coal ash dump site

In March 2024, the European Investment Bank agreed to provide a €33 million (US$36 million) loan to Kosovo Energy Corporation for a 120 MW solar project on the former coal ash dump at the Kosovo A power station.[46]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240218221748/https://www.energy-community.org/dam/jcr:b9fa22f2-8beb-43c3-8565-86fc67b9a75d/EnCS%20Recommendations%20draft%20Kosovo%20NECP%20FINAL.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-02-18. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240218221713/https://balkangreenenergynews.com/kosovo-outlines-energy-transition-until-2031-in-strategic-document/. Archived from the original on 2024-02-18. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 https://web.archive.org/web/20240218221705/http://kek-energy.com/kek/sr/termoelektrana-kosova-a/. Archived from the original on 2024-02-18. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës". kek-energy.com. Retrieved May 2023. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ↑ "Bugarska kompanija CERB obaviće remont termoelektrane Kosovo A". Energija Balkana. September 21, 2024. Retrieved Dec 16, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ↑ "Kosovo Opens 137 Mln Euro Tender to Overhaul Kosovo A TPP Unit". iene.eu. January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ↑ "Chief Executive Officer of Kosovo Energy Corp. Nagip Krasniqi is in detention for up to 48 hours on charges of abuse of power, influence peddling and conflict of interest," Balkan Green Energy News, April 20, 2023
  8. ↑ "Kosovo A Thermal Power Plant 140 MW Unit Resumes Production After One Year Halt". www.iene.eu. May 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "COMPLY or CLOSE - Five years of deadly legal breaches by Western Balkan coal plants" (PDF). /bankwatch.org. June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Repair or close? Dilemmas for Kosovo A". telegrafi.com. June 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ↑ "Kosovo* outlines energy transition until 2031 in strategic document" Balkan Green Energy News, March 24, 2023
  12. ↑ "Energy Strategy of the Republic of Kosovo (p29)". konsultimet.rks-gov.net. January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ "Rizvanolli: No new coal plants in Kosovo's* draft energy strategy". balkangreenenergynews.com. April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Comply or Close - 2024 Update" (PDF). bankwatch.org. September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ↑ "Bugarska kompanija CERB obaviće remont termoelektrane Kosovo A". Energija Balkana. September 21, 2024. Retrieved Dec 16, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ "Kosovo Opens 137 Mln Euro Tender to Overhaul Kosovo A TPP Unit". iene.eu. January 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ↑ "KEK's 137 million tender for the rehabilitation of block A3 is suspended, suspicions of a corruption scheme are raised". Reporteri.net. July 4, 2025. Retrieved Dec 16, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ↑ "KEK: The tender for the rehabilitation of unit A3 will continue with full intensity". koha.net. July 14, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ↑ "Bids open for KEK's 137 million tender for the rehabilitation and modernization of block A3". gazetaexpress.com. July 17, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ↑ "B08 Contract Award Notice: Capital overhaul of the boiler at the Kosovo A power plant in block A5 (Procurement No. KEK-25-9554-5-1-1)". e-Procurement Kosovo (e-prokurimi.rks-gov.net). Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK). 19 January 2026. Retrieved 26 January 2026.
  21. ↑ "ERO warns that KEK's plan for investments in thermal power plants endangers security of supply". koha.net. February 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ↑ "KEK warns of shutdown of unit A4 at Kosovo A power plant due to technical problems". Reporteri.net. April 5, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ↑ "KEK announces the return to operation of Unit A4 of TPP Kosovo A". Gazeta Express. May 10, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ↑ "The transition that is (not) happening: Between KEK's energy plans and reality". Gazeta Express. January 30, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ↑ "The energy block at the "Kosovo A" thermal power plant is stopped at midnight due to the observed problems with the condenser". KoSSev. April 5, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ↑ "KEK announces the return to operation of Unit A4 of TPP Kosovo A". Gazeta Express. May 10, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 "Secretariat publishes its Recommendations on the draft National Energy and Climate Plan of Kosovo*". www.energy-community.org. December 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Energy Community urges Kosovo* to commit in its NECP to phasing out coal by 2050". balkangreenenergynews.com. January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ↑ "WILL THE REFORM AGENDAS DELIVER ON INTEGRATED CLIMATE AND ENERGY PLANNING IN THE WESTERN BALKANS? Assessment Report, December 2025" (PDF). CAN Europe. Dec 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ↑ "Berlin Economics supports the development of Kosovo's first voluntary NDC". berlin-economics.com. July 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ↑ "Energy Community". energy.ec.europa.eu.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ↑ "WILL THE REFORM AGENDAS DELIVER ON INTEGRATED CLIMATE AND ENERGY PLANNING IN THE WESTERN BALKANS? Assessment Report, December 2025" (PDF). CAN Europe. Dec 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ↑ "Kosovo imposes rolling blackouts amid power supply uncertainty in Western Balkans", Balkan Green Energy News, August 19, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Serbia doesn't have enough coal for winter, trade unionist from EPS warns," Balkan Green Energy News, August 15, 2022
  35. ↑ "Two coal plants in Western Balkans go offline due to malfunctions," Balkan Green Energy News, September 27, 2022
  36. ↑ "Two killed in Kosovo power station blast near Pristina", BBC News', June 6, 2014.
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 "Kosovo explosion kills three, injures many", SBS News, June 6, 2014.
  38. ↑ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/comments.php?nav_id=90589 "At least 4 dead in power plant explosion in Kosovo", B92, June 6, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Latest update: Information on the accident in TPP Kosovo A", Media Release, June 6, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Two killed in Kosovo power plant blast, supplies hit", Reuters, June 6, 2014.
  41. ↑ "KOSID calls for higher security at KEK, June 6, 2014", Media Release, June 6, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Kosovo arrests eight linked to canal explosion as tensions with Serbia rise," Reuters, November 30, 2024
  43. ↑ "Three people are charged in Kosovo for a canal explosion that threatened power plants". Energy News. December 9, 2025. Retrieved Dec 16, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  44. ↑ "Kosovo* receives financing for 120 MW solar power plant on coal ash dump," Balkan Green Energy News, March 24, 2024
  45. ↑ "Annual Implementation Report 2025: Kosovo" (PDF). Energy Community Secretariat. November 2025. Retrieved May 18, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  46. ↑ "Kosovo* receives financing for 120 MW solar power plant on coal ash dump," Balkan Green Energy News, March 24, 2024

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.

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