EPCG launches 47 MW solar power project in Montenegro

Alina Oprea

21 September, 2023 at 1:50 PM

State-owned coal and power producer Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) received urban planning and technical requirements from the government in Montenegro for a solar power project with a peak capacity of 47 MW in Nikšić. Earlier, a firm established just four months ago reached the same milestone for a 186 MW solar park, also on the territory of Montenegro's second-largest city, according to Balkan Green Energy News. The outgoing Government of Montenegro keeps issuing urban planning and technical requirements for major solar power investments. In order to switch to another phase, developers need to obtain opinions and approvals from a range of regulatory bodies and ministries, including power network operators.

Government-controlled EPCG is the latest company to reach the milestone. It got the green light for a photovoltaic park of 47 MW in peak capacity in Nikšić. It is the country's second-largest city, where its headquarters are.

The estimated annual output is 61.7 GWh.

The location is in the vicinity of Stuba, just north of the Krupac lake, a few kilometers northwest of Nikšić. The estimated annual output is 61.7 GWh, the document shows. EPCG owns the land.

The utility operates the Balkan country's only coal-fired power plant – Pljevlja. EPCG obtained urban planning and technical requirements for the project of a small hydroelectric power plant at the Otilovići reservoir, from which it supplies the facility with water.

Rudine Energy Park from Podgorica intends to install an 186 MW photovoltaic facility near Nikšić.

Also, the government issued urban planning and technical requirements for Rudine Energy Park. The firm, founded in May, is based in the capital Podgorica.

The site, spanning 131 hectares, is on the outskirts of the village of Rudine, west of Nikšić. The solar power project has a potential peak capacity of 186 MW, the government said. Individual owners own the land.

Montenegro has no utility-scale solar power plants even though the projects are counted in gigawatts.

As for EPCG, the Briska Gora project, under development with Fortum from Finland, can't seem to get off the ground. In addition, the state-owned coal and electricity producer plans to build the first floating solar power plant in Montenegro at its Slano reservoir near Nikšić. It said the facility would have 40 MW.

However, the installation of 47 MW in total on the roofs and on land at the former steelworks Željezara Nikšić, which EPCG has taken over early this year, is underway, with 10 MW in the first phase.

Furthermore, the company intends to build two solar power plants at the Slano and Vrtac dams of its hydropower plant Perućica, with a combined capacity of 3.7 MW. The government included it in priority investments. Last, EPCG and the United States–based UGT Renewables agreed in November to develop renewables and energy storage projects jointly. They have just hinted that they may cooperate on the Velje Brdo project in Podgorica.