Does North Macedonia still have a coal power plant?

The smaller coal power plant, “REK Oslomej,” which was dormant through 2020, was reactivated in 2021 to help North Macedonia reduce its reliance on electricity imports. ESM refurbished the “REK Bitola” coal power plant boilers in 2017, but its equipment is still largely outdated.

Will North Macedonia become self-sufficient in electricity production?

The vision of the new ministry is for North Macedonia to become self-sufficient in electricity production. According to Božinovska, it is crucial for the country to focus on domestic electricity generation, as it currently lacks new renewable energy capacities.

What is North Macedonia's Energy Strategy?

As the world moves towards decarbonisation and green energy, North Macedonia is executing an ambitious national energy strategy, which foresees a 66% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector compared to 1990 by 2030.

Is North Macedonia a state-owned power company?

North Macedonia’s state-owned power company was unbundled and partially privatized in the early 2000s. Austrian utility company EVN has been responsible for electricity distribution in North Macedonia since entering the market in 2006.

Why did the new government of North Macedonia need securing energy supplies?

Firstly, the Ministry of Energy, Mining, and Mineral Resources needed to address a critical issue: securing energy supplies for the winter. Sanja Božinovska stated that the new Government of North Macedonia inherited a challenging situation in the energy sector and had to make every effort to ensure a reliable energy supply throughout the winter.

Does North Macedonia have a natural gas network?

North Macedonia doesn’t have a significantly developed natural gas network, there is only one interconnector with Bulgaria. When the ministry was established, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and EBRD informed it that the tendering procedure for the interconnector with Greece had been canceled.