The construction of the heating system in Bitola, Mogila and Novaci has started

The construction of the heating system of Bitola, Mogila and Novaci has started, which will use thermal energy from REK Bitola. The construction works started in the area of REK Bitola, ie in the immediate vicinity of the blocks for electricity production.

The General Manager of AD ESM, Vasko Kovacevski, MA, at the official event on the occasion of the construction, stressed that after 40 years of existence of REK Bitola and decades of thinking about heating for Bitola, the project was stalled due to major previous planning shortcomings , has now reached the beginning of field construction.

"The plan is to initially connect 35 state and municipal institutions in Bitola, which will use one third of the system's capacity. The other two thirds will meet the needs of large residential and business buildings and individual houses in Bitola, Novaci and Mogila.

The environmental benefits of the Heating are extremely significant. The introduction of this type of heating will largely eliminate the use of heating fuels that pollute, both in institutions and in homes.

The pipeline route will pass through Novaci and Mogila, which are two rural municipalities that rely heavily on agriculture, and the pipeline will provide an opportunity to heat agricultural greenhouses and facilities, which will provide additional support for agricultural development in the region. - said Kovacevski.

Director Kovacevski explained the reasons for the temporary suspension of the project and why it could not have started earlier.

"As it was conceived and set up - the project was economically unprofitable and environmentally unacceptable. First, previously there was no strategy with the heating when REK Bitola will no longer produce electricity from coal. Now we have a solution to that issue - the strategy is to replace part of the capacity of REK with a cogeneration gas power plant, which will produce electricity and heat. There were unresolved property issues along the route of the pipeline. We are solving that issue now, by expropriation. And very important. This project of exceptional importance for Bitola, Novaci and Mogila should be environmentally friendly, and previously it was planned to have a substation for heating at the entrance to Bitola that will run on fuel oil, which is not allowed. And we solved that - now there will be a natural gas substation "- explained Kovacevski.

The Minister of Economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi stated that this is one of the projects for which the Government is extremely committed to successful implementation.

"The government is committed to implementing projects that will mean reducing pollution, reducing electricity consumption and increasing energy efficiency and of course increasing the safety and security of the electricity distribution network. The Government of the Republic of Northern Macedonia has adopted an ambitious strategy and is taking concrete measures and activities for the realization of the strategic commitments towards a green economy and the introduction of cleaner energy in the economy and households "- said Bekteshi.

The Minister also referred to the data that the heating sector significantly participates in the final energy consumption.

"Inefficient technologies contribute to increased pollution and global warming. The realization of this project for construction of heating network in Bitola, Novaci and Mogila will have a great impact on environmental protection, and on the other hand will reduce household costs for heating, ie I will have more competitive prices than other energy sources used, "which is our highest priority," said Minister Bekteshi.

For the project Toplifikacija of Bitola, Mogila and Novaci, a loan from the German KFW bank in the amount of over 40 million euros is used, and additionally AD ESM will invest 7 million euros of own funds.

The contractor has two years to complete the first phase of the project for which the contract was signed, which is the excavation for laying the heating pipeline and laying the hot water pipes from REK Bitola to the city of Bitola, as well as secondary or distribution network in the city, after which follows the second phase in which substations will be installed that will connect the pipeline with REK Bitola and the pipeline with the branched distribution network throughout the city of Bitola. In the third phase, substations will be installed at the institutions that will be connected to the heating.