Electricity restrictions begin in Kosovo

The Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company (KEDS) announced that it was forced to start restricting electricity from today due to low domestic production and high imported energy prices.

According to KEDS, the restriction is expected to last for about two hours and will affect all consumers at different times.

"In recent days, the country's power system has been overloaded. At the same time, faced with the world's largest electricity crisis, the Market Operator - KOSTT, based on current laws, ordered to start with electricity restrictions. These restrictions will last for about two hours and will affect all consumers in different times, except for emergency services," the statement said.

For now, the restrictions will only last for the next 24 hours, while new instructions from KOSST are expected in the following days, Beta reported.

At the same time, electricity consumers are urged to maximize electricity savings and, where possible, use alternative forms of heating.

Kosovo depends on the production of electricity in outdated coal-fired power plants. Due to power outages, many businesses and households use portable generators.

The government of Kosovo provided 20 million euros for the import of electricity, which, according to Prime Minister Aljbin Kurti, is up to seven times more than during the same period last year, when the price was around 60 euros per megawatt hour, writes Reuters. Kosovo now imports about 40 percent of its electricity needs.