Skopje, 3 January 2024 (MIA) — The national Association of Engineers will launch an initiative for a law that will make it possible to start building the Chebren hydropower plant with local capacities, Association of Engineers member and Macedonian Center for Energy Efficiency president Konstantin Dimitrov said in a TV appearance.

In a Sitel TV interview on Wednesday evening, Dimitrov said the country had the capacities to build Chebren and that this project should unite society.

"We should adopt a law for the construction of Chebren, Galishte, Skochivir," he said, speaking about the Crna Reka valley. "Make a law that cannot be changed no matter who comes to power. Set aside funding in advance."

Earlier on Wednesday, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Kaja Shukova said the latest tender for the construction of Chebren was unsuccessful.

Shukova said the PPC Archirodon company had not secured bank funds for the construction.

Back in September, the Greek company was selected as the most favorable bidder at the tender for the hydropower plant's construction.

Later, the company had objections to the public call and had until the end of 2023 to decide if it would move on with the project.

The Association of Engineers meanwhile voiced their doubts about the latest tender for awarding a concession for the use of water for generating electricity through constructing hydropower plants on the Crna Reka.

The estimated value of the investment into the construction of Chebren reversible hydropower plant, with installed capacity of at least 333 megawatts, is around EUR 1 billion.

The project involves the creation of a new artificial lake on the Crna Reka, which would be the largest one in the country. Once the design is completed, and the necessary documents are secured, the construction is set to begin and is expected to last seven years.

The idea and design of the Chebren project dates from the 1960s. This was the 14th unsuccessful tender over the past 20 years. nn/mr