Part A - EIA 400 kV OHTL Stp - мепсо а.д.

Environmental Impact Assessment Study for 400 kV OHL SS Stip – Macedonian-Serbian BorderRationaleThe development of Trans-European Power Grid is one of the political and economicpriorities of the EU policy for the South-East Europe (SEE) region. The power connection ofBalkan countries and reconstruction of national grids is underway. Expansion of the Union forCoordination of Transmission of Electricity – UCTE) towards SEE is an essential steptowards establishment of regional energy market in the countries of this region.Bearing in mind the fact that the exchange of energy between and through power grids ofMacedonia and Serbia continually increases on annual basis, and the conditions withburdended operations that occur depending on the seasonal needs in the countries of theregion, the need for planning a construction of a new 400 kV interconnection transmissionline between the power grids of Macedonia and Serbia is more than evident. This projectidea has dated 30 years ago.The interconnection 400 kV transmission line would enable realisation of the following goals:1. Ensuring better operational safety of the power grid in the region of SEE andstrengthening the power connection between the north and the south, especiallyduring the summer periods, when there is intensive power exchange along thiscorridor, as well as in case of significant surpass of transmission capacities in theregion.2. Ensuring conditions for safe and secure exchange of increased quantities of electricpower, both between the Macedonian and Serbian power grid, and between grids ofthe Balkan countries.25