North Macedonia’s utility ESM appoints Viktor Andonov as investment, development chief

Energy expert Viktor Andonov joined Elektrani na Severna Makedonija (ESM) as Director for Development and Investments. He assumed the position on the company’s board following five years as an advisor to two prime ministers and two deputy prime ministers.

ESM’s new Director for Development and Investments Viktor Andonov has 17 years of experience. He replaced Blagoj Gajdardžiski on the board of directors of North Macedonia’s state-owned coal and power utility.

“I was honored to be the energy advisor to two prime ministers as well as two deputy prime ministers and personally contribute to the reform process in the energy sector, and especially in the energy transition segment. I am honored to become part of the team at ESM, which has great challenges ahead with regard to accelerating projects and investments in renewable energy sources. ESM should be key to North Macedonia’s just transition,” Andonov said.

Upon the appointment, he revealed that the company would develop projects for floating solar power plants on water reservoirs.

Fifteen-year experience in Government of North Macedonia

Viktor Andonov earned a master’s degree in electric engineering in 2011 from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies in Skopje, from which he also graduated earlier as an electric engineer.

ESM’s development and investment chief started his career at the energy department of the Ministry of Economy in 2006. Ten years later he moved to EVN Macedonia, a private power distribution company and electricity supplier.

In 2018, Andonov became the special energy advisor to the then–Deputy Prime Minister Kocho Angjushev, in charge of economic matters. Subsequently, from 2020, he advised Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and stayed on last year as energy advisor to his successor, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski.

Viktor Andonov’s track record in planning sustainable development, accelerating renewables deployment

Andonov participated in the reform process of the energy sector, which began in 2018. At the time, the Energy Community Secretariat declared North Macedonia to be the energy reform champion. Andonov took the lead in the development and adoption of the first Development Strategy based on the European Green Deal, as well as in the first transparent process in the Western Balkans for awarding premium tariffs to photovoltaic plants.

Viktor Andonov regularly participates in expert debates in the country and the region. Over the past year, he was a member of the energy crisis committee and its spokesperson. He oversaw the recently completed selection of the strategic partner for the construction and operation of the Čebren pumped storage hydropower plant.