PRISTINA (Kosovo), December 20 (SeeNews) – Kosovo's government said on Wednesday it signed an agreement with US-based ContourGlobal to start the construction of 500 MW Kosova e Re coal-fired power plant - a project worth an estimated 1.3 billion euro ($1.53 billion).
Construction works will start in 2018 and the new power plant will be operational by 2023, the economy and development ministry said in a press release.
Under the agreement, ContourGlobal will now launch an international procurement process to select a company that will build the power plant.
The life span of the future power plant is estimated at 40 years, the economy and development ministry said.
In December 2015, ContourGlobal signed a memorandum of understanding with the government for financing Kosovo's largest energy project, which will replace the country's 40-year-old Kosovo A plant and is seen as the only solution to the country's chronic air pollution and unreliable power supplies.
($ = 0.84650 euro)