North Macedonia TEČ Negotino fuel procurement investigation

Investigations have been launched into the procurement of mazut fuel for the TEČ Negotino thermal power plant in North Macedonia. This inquiry follows a period of energy crisis and a government-declared state of emergency intended to address electricity supply disruptions and rising prices.

While the Energy Regulatory Commission determined that operating the plant was economically justified because fuel-based electricity prices were lower than market rates, the management of the procurement process by ESM (Elektrani na Severna Makedonija) is under scrutiny. The investigation focuses on the transparency and management of public resources during fuel acquisition, even though ESM was not legally required to follow formal public procurement procedures during the crisis.

In related findings, chemical analyses concluded that mazut supplied by RK M DOO Skopje met all required quality standards and Macedonian regulations. Witnesses from AD ESM and the supplier OKTA verified that tankers arrived with necessary quality certificates. These findings suggest that power plant outages were caused by technical defects rather than fuel shortages, disproving claims that a lack of mazut interrupted operations.