Photo: Walter Bichler from Pixabay
Montenegro’s transmission system operator, Crnogorski Elektroprenosni Sistem (CGES), has secured a EUR 15 million loan to upgrade the 220 kV power line connecting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania.
The project will improve the reliability and efficiency of electricity transmission in Montenegro and strengthen cross-border connectivity in the Western Balkans, contributing to greater regional integration of power systems, according to CGES.
CGES CEO Ivan Asanović signed the loan agreement with Mark Bowman, Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and Novica Vuković, Minister of Finance of Montenegro.
Asanović said the investment was much more than the modernization of a single transmission line. “It is an investment in a secure, stable, and better-connected energy future for the region,” he stressed.
Asanović: The power line’s capacity will be increased to 600 MW
“By improving the 220 kV connection between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania, we are strengthening the reliability of electricity transmission and further enhancing the energy connectivity of the Western Balkans,” he added.
Asanović added that the upgrade would increase the transmission line’s capacity from 300 MW to approximately 600 MW.
“For us, this is an important step toward a more resilient grid that can respond to the growing needs of the system and increasingly intensive regional cooperation,” he said.
Bowman: Strengthening transmission grids is key to energy security and regional integration in the Western Balkans
According to Mark Bowman, Vice President of the EBRD, strengthening transmission grids is vital for energy security and regional integration in the Western Balkans. According to him, the project will upgrade key infrastructure in Montenegro.
It will also contribute to a more reliable and resilient power system, in line with the EBRD’s commitment to developing sustainable infrastructure, Bowman explained.
Montenegrin Minister of Finance Novica Vuković stressed that through the guarantee provided by the Ministry of Finance, the state has once again confirmed its commitment to supporting strategic investments that strengthen national energy infrastructure and regional connectivity.
Of note, CGES plans to invest EUR 200 million over the next five years.
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