The Government of North Macedonia has extended the deadline for applications in a procedure for granting a water concession for the construction of the Čebren hydropower plant (HPP) on the river Crna and the operation of existing HPP Tikveš.

The initial deadline was April 3. It was extended by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning until June 5, and afterwards to December 18.

The indicative capacity of HPP Čebren is 333 MW while the investment is estimated at EUR 570 million.

The project will be structured as a public–private partnership

The project will be structured as a public–private partnership (PPP) with the winning bidder. A venture should be established together with power utility Elektrani na Severna Makedonija. ESM’s contribution to the capital of the project company may include the transfer of the existing HPP Tikveš.

The government invites prequalification applications for the execution and completion of a concession contract and the participation in a public-private partnership for the generation of electricity from HPPs on the Crna river, the public call reads.

In the past 15 years, all 13 tendering procedures for HPP Čebren have been unsuccessful

In the past 15 years, all 13 tendering procedures for the construction of HPP Čebren have been unsuccessful.

HPP Čebren will provide the secondary and tertiary regulation in the market, prime minister Oliver Spasovski said.

Seven foreign companies have already requested the prequalification documentation

He added seven foreign companies have already requested the prequalification documentation.

The project consists in granting the following:

• the concession for the use of water for the generation of electricity,
• the exclusive right to design, build, operate and maintain HPP Čebren and Dam Orlov Kamen with the possibility to install a hydropower plant, and
• the exclusive right to operate and maintain HPP Tikveš, with an installed capacity of 116 MW, three months after starting the operation of HPP Čebren.

New HPP to reduce CO2 emissions – Kovačevski

Vasko Kovačevski, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of ESM, said the expected production in Čebren is 1 TWh per year. ESM’s annual output is 4 TWh.

When Čebren starts operating, annual CO2 emissions will be reduced by 913,000 tonnes because 1 TWh won’t be produced from coal but from water, Kovačevski said.