ENDLESSNES DECANTED INTO LIFE

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We decant the captured treasure into energy. The coal is dominant electric power resource for production of electricity in the electric power system in Macedonia. The coal and gas participate with more than 50% in the electricity production in European Union and they will stay in the following decades important bangles in the electric power mix. The coal – lignite is applied in the industry, toplifikacija, and also for a broad expenditure and for us the further exploration of the sources, the production and its exploitation has essential importance.

The base energy of the electric power system in the country is founded on the coal potential of Kicevo and Pelagonija Basins with the determined coal deposits: Suvodol, Brod-Gneotino, Zivojno. Oslomej, Popovjani and Stragomiste which have enabled opening of our two large surface coal mines–SM Oslomej and SM Suvodol.

The natural conditions and the determined reserves of coal deposits, as well as the technical possibilities of the power system are guarantee that in the following period the continuous work of the thermo power plants will continue. From the overall determined 664 million tons geological coal reserves in Republic of Macedonia, it is estimated that 38% could be exploited with surface excavation, and the rest with cavity - underground technology. Cavity coal excavations are still not applied on our territory.

In future is expected the coal to have great usage in the industry, toplifikacija and broad expenditure. Our country is highly energetically dependent from its exploration, production and usage. Pollution of the environment during the usage of the lignites is their weakness, but the establishment of strict ecological criteria and the maximal care for protection of the working and life environment are our priorities.

HEAT DECANTED INTO CREATION

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Thermo energetic recourses are also known as fossil according to the way of evolving. Coal, oil and oil shales belong to this group. They are not renewable electric power recourses that are spent irreversibly. Obtaining of electricity in thermo power plants is conducted with transformation of the fossil fuels – coal, oil, gas in electricity.

On the territory of Republic of Macedonia there are 20 coal locations. The total geological reserves are estimated at 2,5 billions tons. Regarding the electro energetic goals from all this the most interesting are Pelagonia and Kicevo reservoirs, and perspective potential could be Mariovo and Tikves reservoirs. At the Pelagonija and Kicevo reservoirs are built two our lignite thermo power plants which are pillar of the Macedonian electric power system participating with 80-85% in the total produced electricity.

The greatest producing capacity is Mining power complex "Bitola" with its three blocks each of 225 MW and net production of about 1.434 GWh per block. The complex is entirely encircled production union with more units. This thermo plant as basic fuel uses coal which has average caloricity of 7.900 kJ/kg. The other thermo capacity included in the electro energetic system is Mining power complex "Oslomej" in Kicevo, with installed block capacity of 125 MW and annual net production of about 700 GWh. This thermo capacity as basic fuel uses coal with average caloricity of 7.660 kJ/kg. These thermo power plants have important role in the covering of the basic part of the intake diagram of Republic of Macedonia. The third thermo capacity is the subsidiary "Energetika" which is projected and built in order to provide complete supply for all consumers of RZS with electricity , technological steam and hot water for warming.

POWER TRANSFERRED INTO ENERGY The water energy presents one of the first energies used by the humans in its history. Since the 4th century before Christ has started the utilization of the water energy in purpose of moving the mill wheel, and later with the progress of the science and the technique, starts the construction of the first hydro power plants (year 1882, on the river Foks-Viskonsin) in purpose of electricity production. The hydro power is the principal renewable energy resource discovered till present days. Its utilization is in relation with the construction of the necessary civil engineering object, as dams and accumulations, or long inflow tunnels and pipelines, which from one point of view makes the construction of the hydro power plants expensive, and from another point of view contributes to the development of the overall economy in the country. Opposite to the large construction cost, the annual costs for exploitation of the plants and production of electricity are very low.  Considering the restricted natural resources in Republic of Macedonia, the utilization of the hydro potential is of vital importance for the development of the electric power sector and the entire country. The hydro production participates with 15% in the total electricity production in AD ELEM and at first for satisfaction of the daily variations of the electricity consumption which is in purpose of achieving greater flexibility of the electric power system, as well as corresponding percentage of electricity production from renewable sources. The region of Republic Macedonia in respect of the terrain configuration and the climate conditions is predisposed for utilization of the river flows, construction of dams and smaller and larger accumulations. Today, with the existing utilization of the hydro power resources, out of the total technically useable potential are used only 26,6%. Presented in respect of the river basins it is as following:

Confluence Theoretical potential Theoretical potential Used potential   GWh  GWh  GWh  Vardar 6.660 4.559,3 1.150,0 Crn Drim 2.203 964,9 583,0 Total 8.863 5.524,2 1.471,7

The total volume of the accumulations in the Republic amounts to 891 million cubic meters with total annual production of 1000 GWh. The total installed power of the hydro capacities amounts to 504 MW or 39% of the total installed capacities of AD ELEM. In the AD ELEM development plans great accent is put on the construction of new hydro power plants, as well as revitalization of the existing ones.