Feb 5 2011
FYR Macedonia stated that the country has granted design-build-operate-transfer concession contracts for 12 small hydropower facilities with a total capacity of 13.6 MW. The total investment required to develop the hydropower plants is approximately €23.5 million, according to the nation’s Economy Ministry.
According to the Ministry, the Italian-FYR Macedonian consortium Power Generation, has earned concessions for four small hydropower facilities and the local company, EMK Mali Hidroelektrani, has secured concessions for four facilities. EL TE Engineering has won concessions for two plants, and Nord Energi Group and Hydro-Eco Engineering each secured concession for one plant.
The 12 hydropower facilities will be developed in the eastern side of the country. The facilities are anticipated to have a total annual power generation of 57 GWh. Since 2006, the Economy Ministry has called four international tenders for design-build-operate-transfer hydropower concessions.
Earlier, the Ministry had closed contracts with nine firms for 35 small hydropower facilities with a combined capacity of 21 MW and a total annual production of 85 GWh. The total investment cost of the power facilities is approximately €39 million, according to the Ministry. FYR Macedonia stated that the country intends to develop about 400 small hydropower facilities each with a capacity of 5 MW and a total annual production of nearly 1,200 GWh.