Wpd is planning a 400MW-plus wind farm in North Macedonia that would be larger than all of the country’s other wind farms combined.
It aims to build the 414MW Virovi project in the municipality of Kumanovo in the north of the Balkan state.
The German developer has applied for strategic project status that would grant it preferential treatment, under a law passed last year.
It is awaiting further information from the government, including a clear and transparent framework for the wind farm’s development and operational phase, with deadlines and obligations for both parties, a Wpd spokesman explained. This should enable a faster pace of development, he told “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç.
Wpd aims to develop the project through two wholly-owned business units: Virovi, its special purpose vehicle in North Macedonia, and Wpd Adria, its subsidiary for managing project development in the western Balkans. The spokesman added that Wpd sees potential for further utility-scale wind farms in North Macedonia.
It tentatively aims to commission the Virovi project in three stages in 2025, 2026 and 2027 respectively.
Wpd is yet to reach financial close on the project, but believes it will cost about €500 million to develop and build.
North Macedonia has just one 36.8MW wind farm in operation, and a further 43.2MW under development, according to “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç Intelligence, the research and data division of “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç.
Wpd was involved in developing in 4.7GW of operational wind power capacty – mostly in Europe – according to “uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç Intelligence. This includes 1.4GW of offshore wind.
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