North Macedonia’s state-owned utility ESM has selected POWERCHINA Jiangxi Electric Power Construction to deliver two photovoltaic projects with a combined capacity of 30 MW. The awards total €27.65 million, covering solar capacity developed on sites linked to the country’s coal industry.
Bitola thermal complex site: 20 MW photovoltaic plant
The larger installation will be built near the Bitola thermal power complex in southern North Macedonia. The project has a capacity of 20 MW and carries a contract value of €15.65 million.
A second photovoltaic plant will be developed at Oslomej. It will have 10 MW of capacity and uses land previously associated with coal mining. The contract is valued at €12 million, bringing the combined total for both awards to €27.65 million.
Contract timing, delivery responsibility and commissioning target
The agreements were signed in late June, based on contract-award information cited from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. POWERCHINA Jiangxi Electric Power Construction is responsible for construction and operation of both plants. Completion is scheduled by 13 August 2027.
After both facilities begin operating, they are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 33,000 tonnes annually. The EBRD is supporting the wider programme with a €25 million loan approved in 2021.
Oslomej and Bitola: broader solar development alongside coal assets
Oslomej already hosts ESM’s first 10 MW solar plant, which entered trial operation in 2022. ESM has also outlined plans for an additional 100 MW of photovoltaic capacity at the location.
The government has also signed agreements in 2021 with Bulgaria’s Solarpro Holding and Turkey’s Fortis Energy Electric. Those deals cover a further 100 MW of solar development at the former Oslomej mine.
The newly awarded projects are part of a larger repurposing programme rather than standalone installations. Oslomej is being developed as a mixed portfolio of state-backed and privately developed photovoltaic assets, while Bitola is starting a similar diversification process alongside its existing thermal infrastructure.
