English
The country is energy-stable, and we are prepared for the upcoming winter,” stated Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski today while inspecting construction work on the “Ljubljanska” bridge in Karposh. He announced that he expects a drop in diesel and gasoline prices next week, as well as a budget rebalancing by the end of October.
“Regarding the country and the challenge of energy stability, I can say we are absolutely prepared. Overhauls on the thermal power units in Bitola and Kichevo are either wrapping up or will be completed by the end of the month. All resources are being readied so that REK Bitola and Oslomej are prepared to meet the challenges. As for hydropower potential, we are at about 40 percent—a satisfactory level for this time of year, considering the situation in Central Europe. Autumn is usually rainy; forecasts suggest we will see heavier rainfall sometime in November. That brings its own challenges regarding coal extraction, but it will be managed,” Mickoski said. Snowfall is expected during the winter, which would replenish the hydroelectric plants, allowing them to enter the next irrigation season at around 80–85 percent of their capacity.“I expect the heating season here to be in full swing sometime in the second half of November, and we will face many challenges then. The first challenge will be pollution, as people will once again start using various environmentally unfriendly fuels. I am referring primarily to wood, oil, and often waste—sometimes even tires are burned, and so on—which will have a dramatic impact on environmental quality. That is the first challenge, and it won’t be limited to Skopje; it will be the case across the entire country,” said Mickoski.Regarding the central heating network in Skopje, system preparations were carried out during the summer, and expectations are that water losses will be cut in half—a significant achievement, according to Mickoski, especially considering the energy source involved.