At least one killed in Kosovo power plant blast, supplies hit

OBILIC, Kosovo, (Reuters) - A hydrogen tank exploded at Kosovo's second biggest power plant on Friday, killing at least one person and injuring 13, officials said.

The 40-year-old Kosovo A plant, considered one of the worst polluters in Europe, was shut down following the blast that was heard in the capital, Pristina, some 10 km (6 miles) away.

The explosion threatened electricity supplies in a country already plagued by blackouts. Power imports were increased to cover demand.

Authorities said the death toll might rise, while local media reported three dead.

"We have removed one body," Arsim Gerxhaliu, the head of Kosovo's forensics department, told Reuters by phone from the scene.

"But we had to leave the badly damaged building as there's a danger another tank may explode," he said. "We don't know how many other bodies are inside."

The Yugoslav-era plant and the larger Kosovo B account for 90 percent of electricity generation in the Balkan country, which still suffers chronic power shortages 15 years after breaking free of Serbia in a 1998-99 war during the collapse of federal Yugoslavia.

Costly plans to build a new plant that would allow Kosovo A to be closed for good have been delayed for years, with some critics blaming the government for toying with the rules of the tender.

Kosovo's main political parties cancelled final campaign rallies planned for Friday before a parliamentary election on Sunday.

Health Minister Ferid Agani told reporters that 13 people had been treated for injuries that he said were not life-threatening. He said he had unconfirmed information about "some fatalities".

Economy Minister Fadil Ismajli, whose ministry covers the energy sector, told Reuters that the 345 megawatt (MW) Kosovo A had been shut down. The blast occurred in the electrolysis unit, not the generators.

Kosovo's energy distribution and supply company, KEDS, said it had imported 250 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity to cover demand. Spokesman Guri Shkodra told Reuters it was unclear when the plant would be back online.

Albania's energy ministry said it has started sending 50 MW of electricity out of 200 MW per day demanded by Kosovo to help it cope with shortages.

It said Albania's power utility KESH and power distributor OST and their counterparts in Kosovo were trying secure interconnection capacities to meet the need for the requested power.

Kosovo is connected to Albania via a 220 kV line. Work is under way to build a more powerful 400 kV line.

Last year, international donors pledged 154 million euros (125 million pounds) to help close down Kosovo A, improve energy efficiency and diversify energy sources in the landlocked Balkan country, one of Europe's poorest.

The European Commission says the cost to decommission the plant, which produces a quarter of electricity consumed in Kosovo, is seen at 60 million euros, and that the commission is ready to ask member states to fund the project.

(Additional reporting by Maja Zuvela in Sarajevo and Benet Koleka in Tirana, Writing by Matt Robinson, Editing by Angus MacSwan)