The fifth Energy Symposium – EPCG NET 2026, organized in Montenegro by state-owned Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG), opened today with a message that the energy transition has become a central developmental, economic and security issue, along with a clear assessment that the sector is undergoing its deepest structural changes in recent decades. Minister of Energy and Mining Admir Šahmanović stated that the European Union is the most important partner as the country aspires to become a regional energy hub.
In their welcoming speeches at the beginning of the two-day Energy Symposium – EPCG NET, officials pointed out that decarbonization, digitalization, renewables development and the strengthening of energy security have ceased to be long-term goals but an everyday reality requiring quick decisions, stable policies and strong investments.
Minister of Energy and Mining of Montenegro Admir Šahmanović said the conference, held in Budva, has grown into one of the most important meeting places for the region’s energy sector – a platform where visions, policies, capital, and knowledge meet.
“This year’s symposium is being held at a time when energy has become the most important development topic of the modern world. More than ever before, energy policy determines the economic strength of nations, their competitiveness, security, and geopolitical position. Today, it is precisely through energy that new industries are shaped, investments are attracted, jobs are created, and development directions for the coming decades are defined. That is why the issue of energy is no longer just a question of kilowatt-hours. It is a question of economic development. A question of national security. A question of technological progress. And a question of the future of generations to come. Montenegro has acknowledged this,” he stated.
Šahmanović asserted that the European Union is the most important partner in modernizing the country’s energy sector and that the goal is to become a regional energy hub.
EPCG is pillar of Montenegro’s sustainable development
Executive Director of Elektroprivreda Crne Gore Zdravko Dragaš said energy transition is an opportunity for the structural strengthening of the economy and the country’s long-term energy independence. The company is investing intensively in renewable energy sources, the modernization of capacities, and the improvement of energy efficiency, he added.
Dragaš pointed to the Gvozd wind power plant project and stressed it is a turning point in the development of energy in Montenegro.
The Gvozd wind park is a turning point in the development of energy in Montenegro
The top executive added that the project’s significance surpasses the production itself by confirming EPCG’s capacities to be the flagship of the energy transition and long-term sustainable development.
The state-controlled utility’s top man highlighted the cooperation with European financial institutions and strategy partners as key to materialize major projects. In his words, it brings knowledge and technology and raises standards.
Entirely different level of energy demand
President of the Association of Energy Sector Specialists Nikola Rajaković told the conference participants that the energy sector is in a period of accelerated change, with an increasingly pronounced connection between energy and geopolitics. He noted that the modern energy system is characterized by strong technological development, particularly in the fields of solar and wind energy, as well as battery storage systems.
Rajaković mentioned the growing role of artificial intelligence in energy and the sharp rise in electricity consumption, especially in the data center segment, warning that energy systems are facing an entirely new level of demand.
In his view, the energy sector is developing through the synergy of technology, regulation and finance, where in fact it is their balance that is key to a successful transition.
Đukanović: Consumers are becoming active participants, while energy production at the local level is becoming more decentralized
President of EPCG’s Board of Directors Milutin Đukanović said the company is entering a strong investment cycle and that overall plans reach EUR 4.1 billion,
He praised the programs Solari 3000+, 5000+ and 10000+, through which more than 100 MW of solar power was installed on ten thousand roofs. As the official put it, such initiatives alter the concept of the relationship between citizens and the energy system.
Consumers become active participants, while local production of energy is becoming more and more decentralized, Đukanović asserted.
He stated that EPCG already has a portfolio of about 570 MW in renewable energy projects, with a planned annual production of around 900 GWh, which is a significant step forward compared to existing hydropower capacities.
Montenegro has fulfilled almost all of its obligations leading toward integration into the EU energy market and is therefore becoming an important partner to that community and the countries of the region; furthermore, it sends a strong message to investors that it is safe for investments in renewable energy sources, that investments are protected, and that the country’s legislative framework was harmonized with the most developed European countries, according to speakers on the first panel discussion.
