Bekteshi: No decision yet on energy source heating plants will use to operate after Nov. 15
Skopje, 10 November 2022 (MIA) – Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi said Thursday a decision has not yet been made on whether the heating plants in Skopje will operate on natural gas or diesel after November 15.
“The citizens of Skopje should be calm, they will be supplied with heating energy without interruption throughout the heating season. A decision has not yet been made on whether heating plants will operate on natural gas or diesel after November 15, but heating energy will be regularly supplied,” Bekteshi told reporters on Thursday.
He stressed that every heating plant, including TE-TO, which is a privately owned cogeneration plant, should have an alternative fuel other than the one uses as the main fuel for the production of heating energy or electricity.
“An alternative fuel can be extra light fuel, mazut, diesel or gasoline. Currently, the heating plants operate on natural gas and mainly 70 percent of the heating energy needs are covered by TE-TO. The remaining 30 percent, and on certain days up to 40 percent, is covered by the 'Istok’ and ‘Zapad’ heating plants,” said Bekteshi.
Also in terms of electricity, he reassures citizens, underlining that there won’t be any problems in the area of supply by the end of the heating season. A decision has been made, he noted, for ESM to purchase electricity, because it is currently a cheaper option than operating the Negotino plany.
“So as not to cause damage to the budget, we decided it is better to import certain amounts of electricity, which cost around EUR 200 per MWh on the stock market, than to produce them at the Negotino plant for more than EUR 240 per MWh, due the current price of mazut. We opted for saving. The Negotino plant will not be operating at this point, and cheaper electricity will be imported according to stock market prices,” Bekteshi said.
He said he expects EBRD to withdraw the EUR 100 million intended for ESM to deal with the energy crisis, adding that’s due to VMRO-DPMNE's irresponsibility.
“According to the information I have, EBRD will probably withdraw the EUR 100 million, considering VMRO-DPMNE's irresponsibility by not convening the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee. I didn’t expect VMRO-DPMNE to support the EBRD loan, but we are all responsible to give the MPs a chance to discuss it, to debate it, and their representative who is the President of the Commission didn’t put this item on the agenda. That is completely irresponsible. I’m not asking them to back the loan, but it is their obligation to all citizens to put the item on the agenda,” Bekteshi pointed out.
Even without those EUR 100 million, he stressed, the Government is ready to provide for the heating and electricity supply.
