One of the greatest issues for all inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohia is the shortage in power supply.
Even though Serbia was bombarded, the province has always had enough electricity until KFOR arrived.
Since KFOR arrival to Kosovo, the daily outage remains approx, 12hrs on average. The outages in Serbian villages are even more frequent as the Serbs are the classified in the category of lowest priority.
The malfunctions of Obilic power plant are caused the lack of expertise.
The management of Kosovo Power Corporation (KEK) has been changed many times.
Many Albanians have been killed trying to repair the damaged facilities.
In summer, when the temperature is over 30 degrees, Kosovo still doesn’t have enough electricity.
Some sources in Kosovo newspapers alleged that 80% of households in Kosovo do not pay electricity, Serbian households among them.
The enormous power shortages are blamed on the Serbs, by the Albanian leaders. On the other hand, when the numbers are concerned, Albanian politicians talk about 5% of Serbs in Kosovo. If we think twice, we can assume that 5% of Serbs cannot cause such a shortage in power supply.
This issue keeps going for 8 years.
Another thing to mention is that the leading politicians are involved in the policy of shortages. The deliberate malfunctions are used to push for the agenda of bringing in a new power corporation that would build a new power plant with higher capacity and export it to neighboring countries, exploiting huge amounts of coal in the area.
Around Obilic, there are huge quantities of coal in the mines located at the very surface. It is estimated that there coal reserves in Kosovo go up to 12 billions of tons with the market value of more than 500 billion dollars.
The capacity of “Kosovo C” power plant is about 13 billion KWh per year, while the demand for all of Kosovo is 5 billion KWh per year.
Today, no Serbs are employed in the power plant and in the mines, while 7000 were employed before the 1999 war.
Tens of miners have been abducted during first days of occupation of Kosovo. The government of Serbia has attempted to reach and agreement with provisional government of Kosovo to ensure the supply of remaining Kosovo Serbs. However, Albanian politicians didn’t want to even consider the proposal only because it is coming from Serbia. Frequent malfunctions of electric installations take days to repair. Thanks to the workers who have previously worked for Serbian power corporation, small repairs that do not require disconnections are promptly done.
All the inhabitants of Kosovo and Metohia have experienced summers without electricity, particularly the Serbs.
All summer, Kosovo power outages lasted more than 10 hours per day, owing to the fact that Kosovo electric corporation is exporting electricity to neighboring coastal countries. After the successful summer season, in September 2007 (at the time this article is written), KEK is launching even harsher restrictions due to overhauling.
After the numerous malfunctions, the power plants in Obilic are made almost doomed, in order to qualify for donations for the construction of bigger power plant that will have much greater capacity.
Serbian population still are in greatest jeopardy as they represent the lowest group in supply priority.
In the beginning of September, the power outages for Serbs last for 20hrs a day, and it remains a question how they will survive the forthcoming winter. One question that is frequently asked by the Kosovo Serbs is, what would be the reaction of the world if the Serbs have caused this problem prior to 1999, but this question is not made public.
The foreigners are exploiting the coal reserves valued more than 500 billion USD, and the power manufactures is sold to Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro.
Serbs cannot get the job in Obilic power plants, and the allegations of Albanian “experts” that Kosovo power plants cannot supply Kosovo with electricity are simple lies.
Frequent malfunctions are caused by lack of expertise, and the events are claimed to be caused by “obsolete facilities”.
Numerous foreign donations designated to rebuild the power plant, goes missing. There are doubts that highest officials of UNMIK mission are involved in the dirty business as well. In any case, Kosovo Serbs are awaiting the winter again, another time without electricity, without liberty and without assistance.