Western Balkans - Energy Crisis Response Programmatic ASA : Completion Summary Note

The Western Balkans Six Energy Crisis Response PASA was approved in November 2022 with the development objective of ‘supporting the design and implementation of medium- to long-term strategies to ensure energy security and resilience while meeting the decarbonization and sustainability objectives in the six Western Balkan countries. It was led by Katharina B. Gassner and Rhedon Begolli. It absorbed US783,000 dollars in the Bank Budget and US1,290,000 dollars in World Bank-administered Trust Fund grants, including US500,000 dollars from the CSF, an ESMAP grant of US540,000 dollars, and another ESMAP grant of US250,000 for the Low Carbon Development Assistance to Montenegro. The original completion date was October 2024, extended until January 2025. This PASA program is built on the Western Balkans Energy Transition Program implemented between October 2018 and November 2022. However, the shift in the global energy debate that occurred in 2021-2022 with the energy crisis in the region, required an expansion of topics with additions including the financial stabilization of energy utilities (along with an enhanced emphasis on the protection of the energy-vulnerable), a sharpened focus on innovative technologies such as battery storage, and increased urgency for regional activities. The PASA was implemented in coordination with other analytical activities, including the ECA-wide PASA 'ECA Energy Sector Decarbonization Support Program', to take advantage of synergies. It was also implemented in parallel to the WB6 Countries Climate and Development Report, informing about priority engagement areas and allowing follow-up at the country level on specific issues.