Sveta Petka hydro plant put into use

Sveta Petka hydro plant.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Macedonian Power Plants (ELEM) director Vlatko Cingoski officially put into use Wednesday hydro plant "Sveta Petka".

The plant construction is worth EUR 75 million, which makes it one of the most expensive investments in the area of utilizing the country's energy potentials.

"After enormous efforts by all stakeholders and years of hard work, the project has been completed", said PM Gruevski.

Slovenian contractor "Riko" and Macedonian companies "Beton" and "Granit" as sub-contractors were involved in the project.

"The dam has been built, the reservoir has started to accumulate, and the system is ready for use. The missing link for the maximum use of river Treska's hydro potential has been set. The installed power of the hydro plant is 36,4MW and the annual output is about 66GWh. Sveta Petka completes the Skopsko Pole hydro system, which also includes Kozjak and Matka hydro plants", added Gruevski.

He referred to the fight for energy independence, including numerous projects for revitalization, enlargement and enhancement of Macedonia's energy system.

"Our work in this field will continue, whereas citizens will feel the benefits", said PM Gruevski.

ELEM director Cingoski stressed that the facility enriched the country from a technical, energy and economic aspect.

"The plant is fully automated and its operation can be remotely monitored and controlled by using the modern telecommunication and processing equipment", said Cingoski.

Agreements on construction of 21 small hydro power plants

Twenty-one small hydro power plants with total installed capacity of 23MW and projected annual output of 87GWh are to be constructed in Macedonia over the next three years, an investment estimated at EUR 40 million.
Two Italian and eight Macedonian companies will build the hydro plants, following Monday's signing of the concession agreements at the Ministry of Economy.
Minister Valon Saraqini said the plants would be constructed at rivers Bistrica, Pena, Brza Voda, Kriva Reka, Odranska, Beloviska, Baciska, Jablanica, bringing the total number of concession agreements for small hydro plants to 68.
"The prior 47 agreements include plants with total installed capacity of 34,7MW and annual output of 140GWh", he added.
The total investment for all hydro power plants is worth EUR 100 million.The next procedure for allocation of water concessions for electricity production would be implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, in line with the Law on Waters.

Macedonia awards geology contract for Lukovo Pole Dam, 5-MW Crn Kamen

SKOPJE, Macedonia 10/27/11 (PennWell) -- A Macedonia utility has awarded a contract to Civil Engineering Institute Makedonia to provide geological investigation services for construction of Lukovo Pole Dam on the Kosovo border and construction of the 5-MW Crn Kamen hydro plant.
AD Elektrani na Makedonija-Skopje (JSC Macedonian Power Plants-Skopje) recruited consultants in April to define geotechnical conditions for construction of the alignment and engineering structures of the dam, 20-kilometer headrace canal, and the small hydro plant.
The 545,544 euro (US$756,432) bid of Civil Engineering Institute was chosen over bids by a joint venture led by Karst d.o.o. and a joint venture of SEA Consulting S.r.l. (Geidata Engineering S.p.A. - INTERGEO Environmental Techology Ltd.)
Lukovo Poleis to be a 71-meter-tall rockfill dam, reservoir, and intake canal to divert water from the Korab Mountains. The project is to divert additional water through Macedonia's existing Mavrovo River cascade, resulting in additional generation at the 150-MW Vrutok, 19.2-MW Raven, and 12.8-MW Vrben hydroelectric plants. Additionally, the 5-MW Crn Kamen hydropower plant is to be built at the primary outlet of Lukovo Pole.