State Audit Office: weaknesses in the permit system for photovoltaic power plants
Audit covering 2022–May 2025 says some large permits were issued by municipalities, oversight and registers are incomplete.
The State Audit Office (SAO) found that, between 2022 and May 2025, the system for issuing permits for photovoltaic power plants (PV plants) in North Macedonia did not ensure full legal compliance, timely planning or coordinated action by competent institutions.
Кey findings of the audit
Auditors identified that some PV projects received approvals without following proper legal procedures. In three specific cases, permits for facilities with capacities of 19, 174 and 337 MW were issued by municipalities despite the projects being classified as constructions of national importance.
The review also exposed weaknesses in institutional coordination, supervision and in monitoring whether investors met their obligations. Inspectors noted mismatches in reported installed capacity, unequal treatment of different investors and insufficient interoperability between agencies.
Municipal oversight of implementation of energy rules was described as effectively absent, while technical inspections of equipment at PV plants were few. The audit singled out that these gaps limited authorities’ ability to track and control the rapid expansion of PV capacity.
The SAO recorded that after amendments to the Energy Law in May 2025 planning improved, and that the Annual Plan for construction of energy facilities for 2026 was adopted on time. Nevertheless, the audit warns that several key secondary laws remain pending, the commission responsible for granting construction authorizations for energy facilities has not yet been formed, and the register of power plants is incomplete and inconsistent.
Auditors recommended strengthening supervision, monitoring and institutional coordination so that growth of PV plants is accompanied by lawful and sustainable governance.
Photo: press material from the event
