Mey Energy completed a 55 MW photovoltaic facility in Novaci in North Macedonia. It is currently the largest PV facility in the Western Balkans.
After a 45 MW facility in Bosnia and Herzegovina entered a trial phase, Mey Energy announced that it has finished its 55 MW solar power plant in the municipality of Novaci in North Macedonia, in the heart of the country’s coal industry.
The system was built next to the Suvodol open pit. The company founded in 2020 announced it would start producing electricity before the end of September. The Novaci unit has an estimated annual output of 85 GWh, equivalent to the electricity needs of 30,000 domestic households.
The investment is worth 40 million euros. The PV facility spans 57 hectares and consists of 101,000 panels. It includes over 856 kilometers of cables. Construction started in November. Mey Energy said its contractors are all from North Macedonia.
The new solar power plant will have a lifespan of 25 years. Company added that it will sell the electricity on the free market, primarily within the country.
The solar power plant was built on private land. The location was favorable due to its proximity to the 110 kV network as it is near the REK Bitola thermal power plant. It is run by the state-owned company ESM, which is racing to phase out coal by 2030 while replacing a substantial part of the system with solar power.