The value of the net import of electricity and gas in North Macedonia in the period January – November 2022 reached 360 million euros. That is 190 million euros more compared to the same period in 2021.
The total cost of importing electricity and gas reached 542.7 million euros, according to official data published by the State Bureau of Statistics.
Compared to the same period last year, the value of total imports doubled, that is, it increased by 336 million euros.
The export of electricity in 2022 compared to 2021 increased five times and reached 186 million euros. However, this is largely the result of increased transit through the MEPSO network for the needs of the largest regional consumer of electricity – the Greek tourism sector.
As for gas, the value of imports increased not because of the increase in consumption, but because of the extreme increase in the price of this energy product on the European markets.
Also, the prices of electricity in 2022 have increased strongly on the entire continent, which also affected Macedonia, for two reasons. The first is the lack of domestic production and traditional import dependence. Another reason is the decreasing production of ESM’s thermal power plants, due to their age and smaller quantities of quality coal from domestic deposits. To that should be added the chronically bad hydrological situation.
From the available public data, it can be seen that on the basis of re-export, export and transit of electricity through the Macedonian transmission network, in the first 11 months of last year, an income of 183 million euros was realized.
Official data on which traders and suppliers made the most profit from imports is not available as the annual financial statements are being prepared. It is certain that the Macedonian branch of the regional giant GEN-I, as well as leaders in the supply markets, such as EVN Supply and EDS, are in question.
