KEK (Commercial and not Creative)

The level of air pollution in Kosovo is much higher, but there are still no studies or statistics of fatal damages that could be caused by pollution of KEK power plants. And this corporation, however, remains one of the largest contributors to air pollution. Despite this fact, this corporation is called to improve the lives of citizens in the country.

 

 Illustration: Argjira Kukaj

 

One of the largest air pollutants in Kosovo, remain the power plants of the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK). As such it began operating in the 1960s, initially as an integral part of the former Yugoslavia’s energy system, until it underwent numerous changes at different times. After the last war in Kosovo, it was a joint stock company to be transformed into a corporation in 2005. The assets of this corporation are fully owned by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. KEK with its two power plants in Obiliq, “Kosova A” and “Kosova B”, provides a very important source of livelihood, such as electricity. In fact, in Kosovo, over 97% of electricity generation is produced by power plants with lignite fuel. Kosovo’s lignite reserves are estimated at around 14 billion tons, making Kosovo the fifth largest in the world and the second largest in Europe. KEK power plants have a production potential of about 585 megawatts.
In this scenario, where consumer demand affects astral levels, prices also rise and with it the production that declares the main losers the health of the inhabitants of Obiliq and the surrounding villages, where the coal landfills are located.
The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is one of the leading causes of premature death. One in six premature deaths of more than 9 million people worldwide in 2015 is said to have been caused by air pollution.

The level of air pollution in Kosovo is very high, but there are still no studies or statistics on fatal damages that can be caused by pollution of KEK power plants. And this corporation, however, remains one of the largest contributors to air pollution. Despite this fact, this corporation is called to improve the lives of citizens in the country. “Recognize by the general public and commercial parties that the company is managed according to international best practices for providing good, reliable and competitive services,” says at the KEK website.
But, this has changed from the period of the former Yugoslavia, during which KEK has fulfilled its obligations in the field of Social Enterprise by investing in the area where they operated, creating green spaces, capital investments, sponsorships for local actors and elsewhere. Today, this energy giant is only the main cause of reducing the quality of life of local citizens. Commercial and not Creative!

KEK has a total of about 4700 employees, of which a significant number are citizens of the municipality of Obiliq. This is manifested by the non-endangerment of their jobs, which consequently exponentially reduces the reaction of the municipality of Obiliq about the concerns of citizens and public health; this is probably also due to local policies.
In order to reach a national consensus on the solution of these problems, the Municipality of Obiliq has formulated and advocated in the creation of a special law of the city called “Law for Obiliq”, although most states have a special law for their capital city, this is a fact that has shown confrontations and attempts to block the law by the elected representatives of Prishtina. This law was then adopted in December 2016, with 12 articles that aim to define the Municipality of Obiliq and its district as an area with special environmental risk, as a result of continuous air, soil and water pollution, as well as the improvement of environmental conditions, which are related to the quality of life and the protection of human health. But only 1 of the 12 articles of this law is applicable. Although this Law exists on paper, it must be completed with bylaws in order to be fully implemented.

Article 8 of this law specifies additional measures to improve the lives of the inhabitants of the Special Zone. It says there should be a lower quota in the price of electricity for the residents of that area. Their advantages are also mentioned. “Preferential treatment on equal terms, for those who have been residents of the special area for at least five (5) years, in employment procedures for professions and jobs generated by surface mining and electricity generation, in accordance with legal procedures of the Republic of Kosovo”, is written in point 3.1 of article 8. The citizens of Obiliq would like at least one of the points of this law to be a priority for the leadership, which would facilitate their health and way of life. It is about their possibility to access the steam utilization of thermal power plants for central heating. As stated in the law, the Kosova B power plant releases steam from the chimney with a design pressure of 226 kg / cm², superheated steam temperature 542 ° C and re-superheated steam temperature 542 ° C. The steam circulates from Obiliq to Termokos, through underground canals, providing Prishtina with central heating, which is lacking in the city which suffers the most from the effects of environmental pollution caused by the power plant. If this law were implemented, it would be a positive step for the environment of Obiliq and for the well-being of the citizens. Four years after its adoption, only one article has been implemented: Financial Resources for the Special Zone. The other articles are waiting in line to be implemented. This law was not implemented even in the last announcement by KEK in which 200 employees with secondary education from the area were required, about 1600 candidates applied, and only two people from Obiliq were employed. While, the citizens of this area, are concerned about their health which is endangered to produce energy which they pay every month at a standard price. If the applications are made in practice as they are written on paper, it will help improve and improve the lives of the citizens of Obiliq and not always be Commercial and not Creative.

 

About the author: Liri Hashani, 21 years old from Obiliq, student in journalism at the University of Prishtina.

 

This grant is supported by the ‘Civil Society programme for Albania and Kosovo’, financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) in partnership with Partners Albania for Change and Development (PA). The content and recommendations do not represent the official position of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF).