EPCG signs contract for HPP Piva unit A2 reconstruction

Power utility Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) and a consortium of Slovenia’s Litostroj Power, Croatia’s Končar – Generators and Motors and Serbia’s Elektroremont Subotica have signed a contract on a EUR 1.7 million overhaul of the second unit of the Piva hydropower plant (HPP).

The reconstruction of HPP Piva’s A2 unit includes the replacement of the worn and dysfunctional parts, which will significantly improve the performance of the unit, extend its operating life and ensure a high level of operational readiness, EPCG said on its website.

The deadline for the completion of reconstruction is 8 months.

After the signing of the agreement, Damjan Kolenko, chief of integration at Litostroj, said that he is pleased the consortium emerged first-ranked in extremely demanding tendering.

Litostroj is involved in the reconstruction of energy facilities throughout the region, as well as in the Scandinavian countries, and the experience will help company complete the job, Kolenko said.

Igor Noveljić, CEO of EPCG, noted that the reconstruction of HPP Piva’s first unit has already been completed, while the reconstruction of the third is planned for 2021.

When all three overhauls are completed, EPCG will get a new power plant that will be a reliable and safe producer, he said.

The A2 unit has been in operation since the 1976.

The beginning of the reconstruction is expected in April, and due to the increased volume of work, the overhaul will be carried out at HPP Piva, as well as at the factories of the contractors.

In August last year, as part of a consortium with ABB, Litostroj signed a contract with EPCG on EUR 10.3 million worth of reconstruction and modernization of HPP Piva.

The revitalization of HPP Piva is included in the Energy Sector Development Strategy until 2030 as one of the projects aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of generation, transmission, and distribution facilities.

EPCG plans to invest EUR 40 million in the next five years in the revitalization of two HPPs – Piva and Perućica.

The 342 MW HPP Piva and the 307 MW HPP Perućica together make up 75% of the total installed capacity of EPCG’s production capacities. The two HPPs provide around 40% of the total electricity generation per year.