Skopje, 8 November 2024 (MIA) - We will hold discussions with ESM (Power Plants of North Macedonia) and do everything we can to prevent increases of the price of electricity from 2025. This will of course also depend on ESM’s production plan, but we will try to protect the citizens from price hikes, the Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Bozhinovska said on Friday evening.

In an interview for TV Sitel, Bozhinovska said the price at which ESM supplies EVN with electricity for end users is currently EUR 60, adding that “if we compare this with the real prices, it is much lower, which means that this Government is showing interest and cares for the citizens”.

The Minister underscored that electricity is now imported every two weeks, as opposed to each week, at transparent prices.

“Unfortunately, due to bad hydrological conditions, the water reserves are below 20 percent, we had to import electricity... We hope that the first bloc [of REK Bitola] will be operational as of December and that imports will be low,” Bozhinovska said.

Asked about the state of REK Bitola, the Minister said she met with the new management last week and noted that the situation encountered at the mining and energy complex was “catastrophic”.

“I can say there are many anomalies and that it is in a catastrophic state. Repairs weren’t carried out, there is a lot of unnecessary stock and most importantly, the mechanization wasn’t used, and the quality of the coal is inadequate,” Bozhinovska said. 

Photo: Screenshot/TV Sitel