North Macedonia declares electricity supply crisis amid fuel oil shortages linked to Greek protests

North Macedonia’s government announced on December 23 that it declared a crisis in electricity supply citing disruptions in fuel oil deliveries needed for power generation.

The decision, adopted at the government’s crisis coordination body's proposal, will apply nationwide for a period of seven days from the date of entry into force.

The move follows mounting difficulties in procuring fuel oil, a key input for domestic electricity production. Under the decision, mandatory state reserves of oil derivatives will be released to the state-owned power utility AD ESM without compensation.

ESM is required to submit regular reports to the government and the Ministry of Finance on fuel oil consumption.

ESM last week formally asked the government to declare a crisis in the electricity market, warning that ongoing blockades by Greek farmers were obstructing fuel deliveries. The company requested access to state reserves to ensure uninterrupted electricity generation, 360stepeni reported on December 23.

Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources Minister Sanja Božinovska said the state has sufficient fuel oil reserves to supply ESM. She noted that if protests in Greece continue and fuel oil cannot be procured for more than 30 days, state reserves would be used to maintain production.

The disruptions stem from renewed protests by Greek farmers, who in recent weeks have staged road blockades across northern Greece.

The farmers are demanding higher subsidies, tax relief and compensation for rising production costs, particularly for fuel and fertilisers. Similar protests in previous years have frequently affected cross-border transport, including energy and goods shipments to neighbouring countries.

North Macedonia relies partly on imported fuel for electricity generation, making it vulnerable to regional transport disruptions. The government said it will continue to monitor the situation and take further measures if necessary to safeguard energy security.