So far 67 companies have expressed interest in participating in the construction of hydropower plant Cebren in cooperation with state-owned power utility ESM, said North Macedonian Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi.
In February, the Government informed that seven companies have requested access to the documentation during the pre-selection phase. The plant should have installed capacity of 333 MW, with estimated annual electricity production of 1,000 GWh, and should cost around 570 million euros. As a part of future private-public partnership, ESM plans to include HPP Tikves in the project company. The two HPPs will use water from the same source and can only function at the same time if they are managed by a single entity.
The tender was extended on several occasions due to adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economic climate, but the currently valid deadline expired on 18 December. Procedure for construction of HPPs Cebren and Galiste is the longest tender procedure in the history of Macedonia. Both HPPs will be built on Crna Reka River, and they are offered as a package, not individually, although there were talks that only HPP Cebren would be built. Construction works for both HPPs are estimated to last 7 years. HPPs Cebren and HPP Galiste along with existing HPP Tikves should become one hydro cascade system.
