Major power outage strikes Albania amidst extreme heat

Albania, June 21, 2024 - Today, a massive power outage struck Albania at midday, leaving thousands of households without electricity during one of the hottest days of the year. With temperatures soaring to 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit), the outage has added to the discomfort for residents across the country.

Officials attribute the blackout to failures in the transmission lines in Albania and Montenegro. The issue began with the interconnection line from Greece, causing a cascading effect that disrupted the entire nation. A fault was also detected in the line connected to Prizren.

Initial inspections indicate that high electricity transmission volumes and extreme heat were the main causes of the complete shutdown of the transmission lines.

The Transmission System Operator (OST) is working diligently to restore power to all affected areas as quickly as possible.