Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the Government is seriously considering developing the 333 MW Čebren and Galište hydropower complex without a private concession partner. The announcement followed numerous previous attempts to attract investors that did not succeed. The project is planned on the Crna River and is estimated to require around €1.5 billion in investment.
Authorities have opened discussions with international financial institutions to explore a potential syndicated financing package. Government estimates indicate the project’s strategic importance would extend beyond North Macedonia, with benefits for the Western Balkans region.
Project scope: power generation, storage and irrigation
The planned hydropower development is designed to perform multiple functions. Alongside electricity generation, the future reservoirs would provide water storage capacity intended to mitigate impacts linked to climate variability and drought conditions. The infrastructure is also expected to support irrigation for approximately 60,000 hectares of agricultural land downstream from the existing Tikveš hydropower facility.
The downstream area is described as having strong agricultural output, including vineyards and wine production. Officials said the project would combine renewable electricity generation with water resource management and agricultural support within a single integrated system.
Long-delayed development and stalled concession talks
North Macedonia’s decision to pursue the project directly follows unsuccessful development attempts spanning several decades. Most recently, progress stalled after a consortium of Greek companies failed to meet conditions required to finalize a concession agreement with the Government.
If financing arrangements are secured, officials expect the Čebren and Galište development to become one of the largest energy projects undertaken in North Macedonia. They said it could strengthen both national energy security and regional resource resilience.
