Brief project description
The project consists of closing the 400 kV internal transmission lines in a ring topology through the construction of the new 400 kV transmission line between substations Fier and Rrashbull and further to Tirana-2. The project will include the following actions:
- Construction of a new 400 kV single circuit overhead transmission line between Fier substation and Rrashbull substation, about 78 km long with ACSR 2x490/65 mm2 conductor;
- Extension of 400 kV Fier substation;
- Extension and reinforcement of Rrashbull substation;
- Conversion works at 400 kV Tirana-2 substation in order to be able to operate one circuit of the new 220 kV double circuit line Tirana 2 – Rashbull at 400 kV;
It should be noted that the project of the double circuit 220 kV transmission line between Tirana-2 – Rrashbull (in implementation phase) will have one circuit with 490/65 mm2 cross-section conductor and the other with 2x490/65 mm2 conductor (with a perspective to upgrade this second circuit to 400 kV once this project is implemented – therefore eliminating the need for a new 400 kV line Tirana2-Rrashbull).
The main outcomes of this project regarding Albanian national objectives are:
- Enforcement of the existing corridor of energy flows in the North-South direction;
- Extension of the Fier substation, which will become a very important node for the connection of solar power plants;
- Maintaining security of supply and responding to the expected increase of demand in the Durres area, where it is planned to build a major new marine port and additional cargo port;
- Closing the internal 400 kV network ring connecting the main 400 kV substations in the country such as those of Tirana - Elbasan – Durres – Fier, situated in important industrial areas;
- The closed 400 kV ring will avoid possible bottlenecks in the internal 400 kV network, providing the way for increased transmission capacity (NTC) between Albania and neighbouring countries;
- Decreasing the dependence of the Albanian power system from variable hydrological conditions by allowing more exchange opportunities and therefore mitigating some of the climate change effects in Albania;