North Macedonia
North Macedonia’s National Emissions Reduction Plan (NERP) includes all eight existing large combustion plants from the energy sector. Out of these, two have not been operational since the NERP entered into force, and two are gas-fired heating plants that were already in line with the 2017 LCP BREF. From 2018 until 2021, the Bitola and Oslomej coal-fired power plants were the only large combustion plants that were relevant for (non)compliance with the country’s NERP. But in late 2021, the heavy oil plant in Negotino also re-started operations and continued to operate throughout 2022 and 2023.
SO2 emissions from coal combustion in 2023 were slightly lower than in 2022, but remained extremely high at 101,331 tonnes, and were 6.4 times higher than the national ceiling of 15,855 tonnes. Individually, the stacks of Bitola B 1 & 2 and Bitola B3 emitted 69,998 and 29,067 tonnes respectively — more than 10 times as much as their individual ceilings. As in previous years, these two stacks combined contributed more than 95 per cent of North Macedonia’s total reported SO2 emissions. Oslomej’s contribution was 2,266 tonnes — within its individual ceiling, but only because of its limited operating hours.
Dust emissions from coal-fired power generation dropped slightly in 2023 compared to 2022, but, at 3,849 tonnes, they remain more than twice as high as the national ceiling of 1,738 tonnes.
North Macedonia’s reported NOx emissions show a drop of around 20 per cent compared to 2022, but considering that was the worst year on record for NOx, this was somewhat expected. The 4,725 tonnes emitted in 2023 are comparable to the 4,708 tonnes in 2018 and within the 2023 and 2027 ceilings for NOx.
In March 2021, due to the breaches of the overall NERP ceilings, the Energy Community Secretariat opened a dispute settlement case against North Macedonia. In July 2023, the Secretariat submitted a reasoned request to the Ministerial Council to make a decision confirming non-compliance, which it did in December 2023. As the breaches have not been rectified, as of the end of July 2024, the case remains open.
Power plants in North Macedonia
