Skopje, 10 December 2024 (MIA) - The Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources marked Tuesday the beginning of a project for the development of smart energy grids, which, according to the Ministry, aims to promote opportunities for the integration of renewable sources of energy in the country.

The project is being realized by state company Macedonian Transmission System Operator AD (MEPSO) and private company Colenco, under the auspices of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, Sanja Bozhinovska.

The event marking the beginning of the project was attended by EBRD country head Fatih Türkmenoğlu, Austrian Ambassador Martin Pammer, MEPSO head Burim Latifi, the head of Colenco in the country, Nikola Bitrak, and the head of Colenco in Germany, Hubert Hosp.

“We have an opportunity to construct a grid that will serve as a solid foundation for future development. That’s why, together with our partners, we are reaffirming our commitment to the construction of a smart grid that will respond to the challenges of the age we live in,” Minister Bozhinovska said. 

EBRD country head Türkmenoğlu highlighted EBRD’s efforts to aid the country with its energy transition.

“The decarbonization of the Macedonian energy sector has been continuously strategically supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. We actively support MEPSO in its efforts to modernize and strengthen the energy grid and realize this plan. We are committed to helping the country with its energy transition,” Türkmenoğlu said. 

The head of MEPSO, Latifi, said the company’s goal is to create a secure energy system that would be ready for the future.

“To that end, MEPSO is committed to the modernization of infrastructure, improvement of transmission capacities and the installation of systems for monitoring and protection. The success of this project depends on our ability to cooperate. I am convinced that through this partnership with EBRD, we will be able to achieve the ambitious goals that we have set,” Latifi said.

The project involves a study that will apply modern solutions for smart grids, using experiences from international practices, including practices from the European Union and other countries in more advanced stages of the energy transition, the Ministry said. 

Photo: Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources