North Macedonia Prioritizes Domestic Energy Production, Eyes Joint Ventures for Renewables, and Addresses CBAM Concerns

North Macedonia: The newly established Ministry of Energy, Mining, and Mineral Resources is prioritizing sustainable, baseload, and domestic energy production.

The cornerstone project is the Čebren pumped storage hydropower plant, with plans to analyze existing studies and develop two to three implementation models.

The ministry aims for North Macedonia to become self-sufficient in electricity production, focusing on state-owned renewable energy facilities, potentially through joint ventures with majority ownership.

MEPSO has a waiting list of 9,000 MW for grid connections from investors. New energy law will address grid connection applications and define energy storage and the role of the power exchange.

The country plans to introduce contracts for difference (CfDs) for private investors, similar to Albania and Serbia, and has started negotiations with the EBRD on the auction framework.

North Macedonia will continue to use coal power plants until new baseload production facilities are secured, including a 200 MW cogeneration facility in Bitola.

The country is concerned about the impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on its economy, estimating a potential impact of EUR 200 million if implemented as planned on January 1, 2026.

A new tendering procedure for the interconnector with Greece has been launched, with construction underway on the Greek side and a 65 km section to be built in North Macedonia.