Kosovo B Power Station
Lignite-fired power station in Obiliq, Kosovo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kosovo B Power Station is a lignite-fired power station located in Obiliq, Kosovo. At 680 MW, it is the largest power station in Kosovo by nameplate capacity. The power station consists of 2 units with a nameplate capacity of 340 MW each, which share a 183-metre (600ft) tall chimney with a 6.8 metre (22ft) diameter at the top.
| Kosovo B Power Station Termocentrali "Kosova B" | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
| Official name | Termocentrali Kosova B |
| Country | Kosovo |
| Location | Obiliq |
| Coordinates | 42°41′44″N 21°3′0″E |
| Status | Commissioned |
| Construction began | 1976 |
| Commission date | 1983 |
| Owner | Kosovo Energy Corporation |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Lignite |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 2 units working in Kosovo B |
| Nameplate capacity | 680 MW |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
Energy strategy
The Republic of Kosovo's Energy Strategy for 2022-2031 outlines a plan for investment in the nation's lignite capacities to enhance system resilience and achieve emission standards compliance. It includes refurbishing the Kosovo B1 and B2 power plant units to ensure a secure energy supply and lower emissions. This refurbishment will occur in two stages, with the aim of completing B1 by the end of 2025 and B2 by 2026. Following these upgrades, both units are projected to operate more efficiently and reliably, aligning with the mandatory emission standards of the Industrial Emission Directive.[1]
In 2025, the refurbishment officially commenced, with unit B2 undergoing modernization first under a EUR 56.5 million contract with General Electric, financed by KEK. The project is expected to extend the plant's lifespan by 20 years, reduce coal consumption per MW produced, and cut dust and nitrogen oxide emissions by 60 percent. The upgrades are also projected to increase the plant's annual output by more than 600 GWh.[2] In December 2025, the Minister of Economy announced that installation of emission control filters would begin, supported by nearly EUR 90 million in European Union funding.[3]
History
Kosovo B Power Station was opened in 1983. It was operated by EPS Surface Mining Kosovo and EPS TPP Kosovo until the end of Kosovo War. After UNMIK administration was established in Kosovo on 1 July 1999, Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) lost its access to the local coal mines and power plants, including Kosovo A and Kosovo B power plants.[4]
Since then, it is operated by Kosovo Energy Corporation (Albanian: Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës (KEK)).
As of 2020, together with the Kosovo A power plant, they are considered to be the two most polluting power plants in Europe, often greatly exceeding the limits for coarse and fine particles set by the World Health Organization.[5]
Generation units
The units B1 and B2 of the Kosovo B power plant, integral to Kosovo's lignite-based electricity generation, were commissioned in 1983 and 1984, respectively. Each unit has an installed capacity of 339 MW and is currently operating at an available capacity of 260 MW.[1]
