American Chamber of Commerce calls for a shift in Kosovo’s energy policy

American companies have signed contracts worth one billion dollars with several Western Balkan countries, aiming to expand their energy influence in the region and reduce dependence on Russia. The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo has called on the new institutions, which are currently being formed, to prioritize Kosovo’s integration into the United States’ regional liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, Radio Free Europe reports.

In a statement carried by Radio Free Europe, the American Chamber of Commerce said that Kosovo was at a “critical juncture” regarding the future of its energy sector, stressing that decisions made in the coming months and years would affect energy security, economic competitiveness, and the country’s ability to meet the needs of its developing economy.

According to the Chamber, the discussion on energy policy should not be limited solely to initial investment costs. It should also take into account “the speed of project implementation, security of supply, access to financing, the impact on economic competitiveness, the flexibility of the electricity system, and the long-term sustainability of investments.”

The American Chamber of Commerce emphasized that, for a country that continues to rely on outdated generation facilities and substantial electricity imports, the time required to build new capacity is a strategic factor.

“Every year of delay in developing new domestic capacity means continued exposure to volatility in regional markets, high import costs, and supply uncertainty,” the statement said.

This is not the first time that the American Chamber of Commerce has called on Kosovo to join the U.S. liquefied natural gas initiative.
The Chamber has repeatedly argued that Kosovo’s integration into the project’s regional infrastructure would improve energy security, diversify supply sources, and make the country more attractive to investors, Radio Free Europe noted.

The debate intensified after Ana Pratipati, Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Pristina, published an opinion piece in early June calling on Kosovo to establish a long-term energy partnership with the United States through American liquefied natural gas.

Kosovo’s current government has consistently maintained that the country’s priority should be the gasification of domestic coal rather than integration into the regional distribution network for American liquefied natural gas.

According to Artane Rizvanolli, Kosovo’s acting minister of economy, Kosovo is not opposed to using American liquefied natural gas, but it currently lacks the infrastructure and experience needed to do so.

For this reason, Rizvanolli believes that using Kosovo’s large coal reserves through gasification technology is the most suitable alternative for the country.

However, Kosovo’s opposition parties have supported a different approach. They have called on Kosovo to join the U.S. LNG initiative, arguing that hesitation on the issue could damage the country’s strategic partnership with the United States.

Several Western Balkan countries, including Albania, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, have already signed agreements with American companies and the United States to expand their gas infrastructure.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe on May 10, Joshua Volz, a special envoy from the U.S. Department of Energy, said that “Kosovo’s energy system is in urgent need of modernization and represents an excellent opportunity for American industry and technology.”

He also said that “the Department of Energy will be ready to assist in establishing cooperation between American industry and partners in Kosovo.”

At present, approximately 90 percent of Kosovo’s electricity is generated by two coal-fired power plants—Kosovo A and Kosovo B—while the remainder comes from renewable energy sources and imports.

Pristina has received an unequivocal message from Washington: enter into a long-term energy partnership with the United States through liquefied natural gas in order to secure your energy future, according to an analysis published by Kosovo Online last month. The United States has no hidden motives; its interests are to push Russia out of the Western Balkans’ energy sector and sell its own gas, Kosovo Online’s interviewees said at the time.