September 26 (SeeNews) - Macedonia’s gross electricity production rose 6.5% on the year in July, reaching 412,288 MWh, the country's statistics office announced on Monday.
Net power output increased 5.9% year-on-year to 383,626 MWh, while final electricity consumption dropped 4.1% to 494,535 MWh, the statistics office said in a monthly report.
Thermal power plants contributed the largest portion of gross domestic electricity output in July, 269,037 MWh, up 9.5% on the year. Hydropower plants followed with 86,178 MWh, down 33.1% on the year.
Energy produced by solar power plants rose by 2.4% year-on year in July, reaching 2,892 MWh. Wind power plants generated 10,760 MWh, up 37.2% on the year, whereas biogas plants produced 2,541 MWh, or 30.7% more than a year ago.
Macedonia's electricity production covered 70.7% of the country's needs in July, as imports increased to 178,974 MWh from 171,641 MWh in June. Macedonia exported only 8,192 MWh in July, after exporting no energy for several months.
Distribution losses totalled 52,962 MWh in July, down 3.6% as compared to a year earlier.