HPP Kolonja is a 2.0 MW high-head run-of-river hydropower project located on the Rehovë Stream, a tributary of the Kardhiq River, near Kolonjë village in Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. The project is designed to utilize the natural hydraulic potential of the Rehovë catchment and Kolonjë springs through a diversion scheme adapted to the mountainous terrain.
The hydropower scheme is designed for a discharge of 0.85 m³/s, with a gross hydraulic head of 302.50 m and a net head of approximately 275.36 m. Its main infrastructure comprises a Tyrolean-type concrete intake weir, rehabilitation of the existing Kolonjë spring catchment, sediment management facilities, short diversion pipelines, a pressure basin, and an approximately 2.39 km steel penstock connecting the hydraulic system to the downstream powerhouse.
The powerhouse is designed to accommodate two Pelton turbine-generator units rated at 1,300 kW and 700 kW, providing a combined installed capacity of 2,000 kW. The generating configuration is designed to accommodate seasonal variations in water availability, with an estimated average annual electricity generation of approximately 5.35 GWh, based on the P50 hydrological assessment.
The project incorporates hydraulic infrastructure designed to manage sediment transport, maintain ecological flow, and preserve water availability for local agricultural irrigation. The hydropower development is supported by hydrological, hydraulic, structural, and electromechanical engineering studies, forming the technical basis for its implementation.
