North Macedonian Government announced the 2021-2017 investment plan worth more than 8 billion euros and of that amount, investments in the energy sector are planned at 3.15 billion euros, and a large part of the projects will be implemented by state-owned power utility ESM, independently or through a public-private partnership model. Investments in coal-fired TPP Bitola in the coming period include the construction of a cogeneration gas-fired power plant with a capacity of 200 to 400 MW, which will be used for electricity production, as well as for heating the town of Bitola. It will replace the two existing coal-fired units of TPP Bitola. The planned start of the implementation of this project is 2026. The value of the investment in the first phase will be around 100 million euros, or a total of 200 million euros.
TPP Bitola investment plan also includes the construction of solar power plants. At first, two 10 MW and one 40 MW solar power plants will be built. These facilities will be fully owned by ESM. In addition, two more 50 MW solar power plants will be built, on the principle of public-private partnership, as is the case of TPP Oslomej. These 160 MW solar power plants will cost around 110 million euros.
Another important project for the town of Bitola is the heating pipeline, the value of which is around 35 million euros. The signing of the contract with the contractor is expected by the end of the month, and the beginning of works by the fall at the latest.
The three project – gas-fired power plant, solar power plants and a heating system in Bitola are worth a total of 350 million euros.
