North Macedonian state-owned power utility ESM said that oil-fired thermal power plant Negotino is producing electricity since 18 December, but at half capacity, because only one boiler is used.
General Director of ESM Vasko Kovacevski said that the second boiler of TPP Negotino, as well as unit 3 of TPP Bitola, will be put into operation in January. He added that, with these two capacities in operation, North Macedonia will get through the winter season without electricity restrictions for the population or industry.
In late November, the Government of North Macedonia has decided to temporarily restart the oil-fired thermal power plant Negotino, which has been out of operation for twelve years. The plant has been kept in cold reserve, because its production costs are very high. However, due to current energy crisis, its productions cost is below prices on regional exchanges.
Last year, North Macedonian Government said that it is planning to convert the 210 MW TPP Negotino from fuel oil to natural gas. TPP Negotino is state-operated and currently provides cold reserve service, although it has not been used lately due to extremely high cost of operation. For years, there have been speculations whether the plant should be decommissioned or converted to use new type of fuel, but the Government said that it will launch a tender procedure for the plant’s conversion to natural gas within six months.
