North Macedonia: Nine companies interested in the construction of 100 MW solar power plant

So far, nine foreign companies have submitted bids at the tender for the construction of 100 MW solar power plant in Oslomej. The public call has been open for ten days already and the deadline for bids submission is 8 May.
Representatives of power utility ESM said that they expects even greater interest in the project. Last week, the Government launched a call for the participation in public-private partnership with state-owned power utility ESM on the construction of solar power plants in Oslomej with total installed capacity of 100 MW, a project worth some 80 million euros. The agreement will have a duration of 35 years, during which the private investor will pay ESM an annual fee to ESM equal to 10 % of the revenues from the sale of electricity produced by the plant, at market prices. The deadline for the submission of offers is 8 May. The project envisages the construction of two solar parks of 50 MW each in Oslomej, while all funds for the construction should be provided by the private partner. ESM will participate in the project with the land on which the solar parks will be built. After the 35-year term, the ownership of the solar parks will be transferred to ESM. Last year, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said that it has decided to provide a loan worth 5.9 million euros to ESM for the purpose of the construction of 10 MW Oslomej solar power plant. The facility would be built on the exhausted coal mine near thermal power plant Oslomej. The project is part of the strategy of ESM to diversify its production mix away from coal and increase the production share from renewable energy sources, which will provide clean energy in a country and a region with serious capacity shortages and high levels of carbon intensity. Estimated annual electricity generation of the future solar park is around 15 GWh. The project’s value is around 7 million euros. Electricity produced by the plant would be sold on the liberalized market, without depending on any state support schemes. This would be ESM’s first investment into solar energy, as part of the company’s strategy of decarbonization and increasing its renewables portfolio. In November, ESM and Turkish company Girisim Elektrik have signed an agreement on the construction of solar power plant Oslomej, worth 7 million euros. The construction of the plant should be completed within 10 months.