Duisburg / Skopje, in June 2014. In May and June 2014, PCC’s Macedonian project entity PCC HYDRO DOOEL Skopje connected its small hydropower plants “Galičnik” and “Brajčino” to the public grid. On the Galičnik site, the steepness of the terrain as well as difficulties to access it with heavy machinery posed major challenges for the realization of the construction works.
Adding the “Gradečka” site, which went on stream back in October 2013, three power plants with an overall capacity of 3,628 kW have now been connected to the grid, supplying non-polluting power to some 3,100 households.
The fourth site, “Patiška”, is still under construction, with works scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. Another site, “Kriva Reka”, is in the planning stage; construction works are scheduled to start here in 2015.
The concession agreements concluded with the Macedonian Government include a 20 year water use permit, with an option to extend by another 20 years.
In 2013, the United Nations’ climate protection authority UNFCCC officially registered the first four small hydropower plants as climate protection projects.