New wind farm to produce one-fifth of North Macedonia’s current power output

One of the first foreign investments during the term of the new Government of North Macedonia will be a wind park, with annual power generation equal to about one-fifth of the total electricity production in the country, according to the prime minister–designate, Hristijan Mickoski. He also noted that the energy transition will be a long and expensive process, and that the country won’t be able to successfully complete it without support from abroad.

North Macedonia should soon get a new government, which will introduce the Ministry of Mining, Energy and Mineral Resources. A few days ago, Hristijan Mickoski announced a large investment in the energy sector, and added that this kind of project is something completely new, not only in North Macedonia, but the entire region.

Speaking at the 7th Macedonian Energy Forum (MEF), he said that the new wind park would be built between Karbinci, Štip and Radoviš. It will be one of the first foreign investments in the new government’s term of office, Mickoski noted, according to local media.

The electricity sector is not ready for changes

It is a large investment, with an expected electricity output of about 1 TWh, or 20% of the total electricity production in the country, Mickoski stressed.

Speaking about the challenges of the energy transition, he said that with good planning, the process could be completed successfully, but that it would take time. However, the electricity sector is not ready for these changes, he noted.

The process is complex and very expensive, and the country is poor, so support from abroad will be necessary, he said. The social impact of the transition, in his words, is related to the future of workers at coal-fired power plants.

More than 4,000 families depend on the production of electricity in thermal power plants in Bitola (REK Bitola) and Oslomej (REK Oslomej), he said.

Quick results are not possible in the energy sector

According to Mickoski, in the energy sector, quick results are not possible. He stressed that the production of electricity from renewable energy sources should be the focus, but that the process should proceed step by step.

Energy efficiency will be a priority of the new government, he said, adding that the completion of the gas interconnector with Greece will meet its full potential if additional interconnectors toward Central and Central-Eastern Europe are built.

The US ambassador to North Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, said that the completion of the North Macedonia-Greece gas interconnector will end the country’s dependence on Russia. It will also make it possible to build gas power plants and ease the transition from coal to other energy sources, according to her.

During MEF, Mickoski was interviewed by WindEurope’s Chief Executive Officer Giles Dickson.