The construction of 10 megawatt solar power plant hasn’t started yet

By Рада Исовска-Маневска On Nov 30, 2018 0

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

The construction of the 10 megawatt solar power plant could begin as early as next year. Thus, SDSM’s promise is deemed unfulfilled

PROMISE: AD ELEM shall begin building a 10 MW photovoltaic power plant with photovoltaic panels manufactured in Macedonia.

[Source: Program of SDSM for the snap general elections in 2016 “Plan for Life in Macedonia”, page 220]

EXPLANATION:

“ELEM shall begin building a 10 MW photovoltaic power plant with photovoltaic panels manufactured in Macedonia” – SDSM planned to fulfill this promise within the first six months after assuming office, however, it’s been more than a year and a half since the Government was formed and this promise is still unfulfilled.

So far, there have been only announcements for building the said solar power plant. This investment was mentioned by the Government in July this year in the context of the new Energy Law that covers the issue of constructing solar power plants.

Moreover, on page 32 of the Plan for Development and Plan for Investments of ELEM 2018-2022, the state-owned company ELEM announced that a 10 MW solar power plant with an annual output of 14.6 GWh will be built near TEC Oslomej. ELEM’s Plan for Investments also reads that:

The total amount of the investment which is 7.000.000 euros will be financed with ELEM’s own funds up to the amount of 1.050.000 euros, while the rest of the investment, in the amount of 5.950.000 euros will be provided by a loan from financial institutions. The funds for repaying the load will be provided by the ongoing operations of AD Power Plants of Macedonia (ELEM).

In late November 2017, the photovoltaic power plant was mentioned by ELEM’s director, Dragan Minoski. In a press conference for presentation of a student invention for measuring solar energy, he said that it will be used for to find a location where the 10 megawatt solar power plant will be built.

In August 2018, the media published information saying that ELEM had decided to take a loan for building a photovoltaic power plant. The tender for selection of a company that would build the solar power plant was announced back then. The same day, 29 August, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) published the notification for the upcoming tender.

According to all of the above, the construction of the 10 megawatt solar power plant could begin as early as next year. Thus, SDSM’s promise is deemed unfulfilled. As regards the second part of the promise, “it will be built with photovoltaic panels manufactured in Macedonia” it is pretty much unreachable, because manufacture of photovoltaic panels hasn`t been started in Macedonia yet.

SOURCES:

Program of SDSM for the general elections in 2016 „План за живот во Македонија“, page 220 [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
ELEM: План за развој и план за инвестиции на ЕЛЕМ 2018-2022 [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
Makfax (5 July 2018) Заев: Со новиот Закон за енергетика можност домаќинствата и компаниите да инсталираат фотоволтаични централи [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
SDK (23 November 2017) : ЕЛЕМ ЌЕ ГО КОРИСТИ ИЗУМОТ ЗА МЕРЕЊЕ СОНЧЕВА ЕНЕРГИЈА НА СТУДЕНТИТЕ КОИ ЌЕ ОДАТ ВО НАСА [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
Faktor (30 August 2018): ЕЛЕМ ќе земе заем за да гради фотонапонска електрана кај ТЕЦ Осломеј [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
Build (29 August 2018) : На почетокот на 2019 тендер за соларна електрана во РЕК „Осломеј“ [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
Government of the RM: (16 February 2018): Грант од 500 илјади евра од ЕБОР – Техничка соработка помеѓу Владата и ЕБОР за развој на обновливи извори на енергија [Accessed on 29 November 2018]

Оцени: Рада Исовска-Маневска

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