Kosovo Faces Winter Energy Crisis Due to B1 Unit Outage, Raising Import and Affordability Risks
Kosovo is entering its peak energy demand months without the 260 MW B1 unit at Kosovo B, which remains offline due to incomplete turbine modernization and environmental works. The operator has not provided a firm return date for the unit, and an energy expert anticipates it will remain unavailable throughout the winter. This outage removes one of the system's largest power blocks just as consumption is set to rise significantly. While Kosovo A has completed its planned overhauls and experienced a period of stronger simultaneous unit operation, its fleet is aging, and technical faults and temporary interruptions are acknowledged as possibilities. The unavailability of the B1 unit necessitates a higher reliance on energy imports, exposing Kosovo to regional spot prices, which have been observed around €250/MWh in Hungary. Over the past five years, Kosovo has imported more than €1.03 billion worth of electricity.
