Albania will buy 1 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas per year from the United States, through a long-term 20-year agreement. This is the energy source, which aims to transform Vlora into an energy hub of the Balkans, in parallel with major investments in infrastructure.
The liquefied gas imported from the US through the American-Greek consortium Venture Global-Aktor will be regasified at a special terminal in Vlora. Part of it will supply the Vlora thermal power plant, which, in addition to being transformed into gas, will also be expanded 2.5 times in capacity.
"This agreement foresees the revitalization of the Vlora TPP. Secondly, the implementation of the second generation capacity of 250 megawatts and the reclassification of the infrastructure including storage," said Energy Minister Enea Karakaci.
In parallel, the Vlora-Fier pipeline will be built, which connects gas imported from the US to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline at the exit point in Fier to be subsequently transported to other markets.
"The Vlora energy center can define our country as a strategic energy gateway in the Balkan region. By connecting the import of liquefied gas to the market, we can have diversified routes, increasing energy resilience and security. One of the most important aspects is that security comes from a continuous supply and here our cooperation with the US is essential," said Karakaçi.
Since Albania's liberation from a centralized economy, American investment in Albania has been negligible and often tangential. This is the first time Americans have come to do business seriously in Albania, and the deal has been pushed hard by President Trump through the US ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
In addition to increasing the country's energy security and offering Albania the opportunity to make money, the agreement also has the security dividend offered by US economic interests.
"This is a commitment of about 6 billion dollars, which is expected to strengthen not only energy security, but also national security throughout the region. When the United States, Albania and Greece cooperate, this region becomes more connected, safer and more prosperous," said Guilfoyle, praising the contribution of senior American officials in this process.
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