Reservoir inaugurates to provide water for Pristina and KEK in emergencies

As part of the project "Water Safety and Protection of the 'Ibër-Lepenci' Canal", a new water storage reservoir in Mihaliq, Vushtrri, has been inaugurated. The Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, emphasized that the reservoir has a capacity of 30 thousand cubic meters, and will be activated in the event of any accident or other incident, such as the terrorist attack on the "Ibër-Lepenci" canal two months ago.

With a length of 800 meters and a width of 2 meters, the new water storage reservoir in Mihaliq, Vushtrri, has been inaugurated.

It is within the framework of the project "Water safety and protection of the 'Iber-Lepenc' canal".

According to the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, this reservoir will improve the infrastructure of the company's assets.

"The reservoir we are inaugurating today has a capacity of 30 thousand cubic meters of water and offers 24-hour reserves, for the KEK power plant or for water supply for the 'Prishtina' RWC, in the event of any accident or other incident, which I hope we never have. In any case, now thanks to your work, we can stay calmer with this new reservoir that we have and with this space that is given to us to maneuver with critical infrastructure", said Minister Rizvanolli.

In 2016, the World Bank recommended a project that would enable the construction of a safety reservoir that would guarantee Kosovo's thermal power plants.

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But, based on official statements, the reservoir inaugurated this Wednesday is not related to the project proposed by the World Bank.

And, Minister Rizvanolli said that she will support any project that is supported by experts in the field and that has to do with water investment.

"The Government of the Republic of Kosovo will support any solution that is technically feasible, financially feasible, and supported by experts in the field," she said. "At the time that decision was made, there were different opinions regarding both technical feasibility and financial feasibility, so we, as I have mentioned on several occasions before, as you know, in the water sector we are making very large investments, including five dams that will be built, and our goal is to find a solution that is technically feasible and financially feasible within this overall development of the sector."

The construction of the reservoir, which will be activated in emergency cases, was carried out about two months after the terrorist attack on the "Ibër-Lepenc" water canal, which supplies KEK for cooling, and a number of municipalities with drinking water.

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KEK's water supply was restored a few hours after the explosion, following the intervention of institutions, engineers, and public utility workers. 

Meanwhile, water reductions have occurred in many municipalities, including South Mitrovica, North Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Skenderaj, Drenas, Obiliq, Fushë Kosova and some parts of Pristina.