Electricity producer Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) is focusing on three key strategic policies: producing energy at the point of consumption, utilizing existing hydropower infrastructure to connect solar power plants, and developing battery energy storage systems, said Milutin Đukanović, Chairman of the EPCG Board.
Đukanović highlighted that the “produce where you consume” policy is a winning strategy in the energy transition. He emphasized the compatibility of hydropower infrastructure with solar power integration and stressed the importance of advancing battery storage technologies.
By the end of this year, EPCG will launch the 55 MW Gvozd wind farm, supported by an €82 million investment and financing from KfW Bank. Construction of Gvozd 2, with a capacity of 21–22 MW, is expected to start early next year.
The public tender for the installation of the eighth turbine at the 58 MW Perućica hydropower plant has been completed, with operations expected to begin in 2027.
EPCG has already completed the “3000+” project, installing 35 MW of solar capacity on 3,500 buildings. The “5000+” project is halfway complete, with 40 MW and over 4,000 consumers, and the “10,000+” project is scheduled to begin mid-next year.
Preparations are underway for several solar power plants: Krupac (50 MW), Štedim (150 MW), four plants on Kapino Polje totaling 50 MW, and installations at Željezara with 10 MW already operational out of a planned 30 MW.
EPCG plans to issue a public tender soon for two battery storage systems totaling 30 MW (120 MWh). By 2027, they aim to install five such systems with a combined capacity of 600 MWh.
A €12 million tender will be announced for the construction of a tunnel linking the Krupac and Slano reservoirs, part of a broader water valorization plan in the Nikšić field. Additional plans include valorizing the Liverovići lake and underground waters in the same region, with investments potentially exceeding €1 billion and a capacity increase of up to 700 MW.
Đukanović stressed that while the energy transition presents a major opportunity, it also poses risks if neglected, emphasizing the urgency for immediate action and encouraging participants at the EPCG NET forum to focus on concrete solutions and policy improvements.
The EPCG NET forum gathered experts, investors, and officials from the regional and European energy sectors to discuss sustainable energy and energy security challenges.
