On 28 May, North Macedonia’s state-owned electricity generation company, ESM, signed an agreement with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) for the completion of the final phase of the Bogdanci Wind Park.
This second phase includes the construction of four wind turbines, each with a capacity of 3.4 megawatts (MW). The investment will increase the wind park’s installed capacity by 15 MW, expected to generate an additional 46 gigawatt-hour (GWh) of electricity annually, enough to meet the energy needs of around 6,000 households. In total, the wind park will provide more reliable and sustainable electricity to more than 22,000 households.
Supported by WBIF and KfW
The project is supported with 9 million euros from the EU’s Western Balkans Investment Framework and a 7.7 million euro loan from the German state-owned development bank KfW.
“Preparatory field activities and the construction of the necessary infrastructure for the reception, installation, and connection of the wind turbines to the power grid will begin this summer,” said Lazo Uzuncev, General Manager of ESM. “This process is expected to be completed within 13 months, after which the final phase of the wind turbine installation will begin, which is expected to be completed during the summer of 2027.”
“This project stands as a powerful symbol of what we can achieve through strategic partnership, trust and shared vision for a greener, more resilient future,” added Sanja Bozinovska, Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources of North Macedonia.
“Wind energy is irreplaceable in the modern energy mix. It offers a path toward cleaner air, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, energy independence, economic growth and long-term sustainability,” emphasised Pablo Obrador, Head of the Energy Sector Unit for Southeast Europe at KfW.
Bogdanci is the country’s first wind park, with construction of the first phase starting in 2013 and completing in 2014, when the wind turbines also began commercial operations. Phase 1 of the pilot project, with an installed capacity of 36.8 MW, was developed with WBIF technical assistance and generated 103 GWh, accounting for 1.95 per cent of the country’s total electricity production in 2021.