Photo: Wirestock on Freepik
The Government of Montenegro adopted urban planning and technical conditions for a solar power plant of 81.1 MW in peak capacity in Pljevlja. The site for the facility is part of a coal mining complex.
Greece is the most successful by far in the Balkans in transforming coal land into clean energy and advanced technology hubs. The projects in the region are mostly for solar power plants. Neighboring North Macedonia is next when it comes to implementation, while Romania and Bulgaria as well as Serbia and Slovenia have made their first steps. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo* are still in the planning phase, and now Montenegro is joining them with a photovoltaic project.
The government in Podgorica adopted the urban planning and technical conditions for a solar power plant of 81.1 MW in peak capacity in Pljevlja. The facility in the country’s north called Rudnik uglja would be in the Ilino Brdo I cadastral unit, on the site of the Potrlica open cast coal mine.
According to a study submitted with the application, the connection capacity would be 62.5 MW. The coal mine’s operator and PV project developer, Rudnik uglja Pljevlja, said the location spans 62.6 hectares.
The government plans to close the Pljevlja coal plant in 2041
The firm is a subsidiary of state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG), which runs the Pljevlja power plant in the same complex. It is the only coal-fired facility in Montenegro. The government plans to close the thermal power plant, currently under reconstruction, in 2041.
Rudnik uglja Pljevlja presented a just transition plan in March. It aims to establish 12 businesses to transform the region and spin them off. They include construction, transportation and the installation of a small hydropower plant called Durutovići and a photovoltaic facility.
The previous government initiated the development of a plan two years ago for an industrial complex in Pljevlja. There are several separate renewable energy projects in the area as well.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
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