It is clear that the electricity crisis remains (the price of electricity on Tuesday, 3.5.2022, is 218.5 euros), and the days until the beginning of the new heating season are approaching, i.e. the time is getting shorter. Hence, the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia defines that action must be taken in several directions.
First, we must increase domestic electricity production. For that purpose, ECNM proposes to consider recapitalization of ESM by issuing government bonds or shares of domestic individuals and legal entities to raise appropriate funds. They would be used exclusively for the construction of new power generation facilities and under the strict supervision of the state. In that way, the whole society will be interested in the successful operation of these production facilities and would move the market of assets that are now simply kept in banks or spent on buying real estate, especially apartments in Skopje (which can be seen from the latest census), in conditions when there is no quality stock exchange in the country or other types of financial markets, reads the announcement of ECNM.
Second, the Chamber proposes construction of other energy facilities in cooperation with ESM, EVN and the businessmen, through appropriate shares, and construction of larger power plants – upgrade to a combined gas power plant in “Negotino” and “Oslomej”; gradual replacement of thermal power plants in Bitola with gas power plants in combined cycle; construction of at least one pump-reversible power plant from 100 to 120 MW so that possible surpluses of generated electricity can be stored by pumping water from the lower to the upper water tank; construction of flow hydro power plants on Vardar, HPP “Boskov Most”, Dam “Lukovo Pole” etc.
Third, investing in photovoltaics for the companies’ own needs. This avoids problems such as whether or not a connection to the distribution network can be made; agreement is avoided with the distributor who has to buy the energy and price pressures in one direction and the other – from the distributor to the company and vice versa and from the electricity producer from PV to the distributor.
Furthermore, it is proposed to subsidize part of the electricity costs for companies that produce strategic products – producers of basic food products, but also to subsidize the other part of the industry.
