Montenegrin Government is preparing a new Energy Strategy which will emphasize investments in renewable energy projects in order to achieve climate neutrality, with the deadline for the country’s coal phase-out set in the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), said Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic.
PM Krivokapic said that the Government is committed to making renewable energy a basis for the development of the country’s energy sector, however, he noted that saying that Montenegro will reach zero emissions in the energy sector by 2030, in line with the EU policies, is irresponsible.
He reminded that premature closure of Montenegro’s sole coal-fired thermal power plant Pljevlja would mean 20 to 25 % higher price of electricity, due to increased electricity imports that would also affect the country’s GDP. PM Krivokapic stressed that the main goal is to find a way to replace 225 MW of Pljevlja’s installed capacity without compromising the stability of the energy system.
According to him, Montenegro has already started development of several RES projects, such as the construction of HPP Komarnica, solar power plant Briska Gora, wind farms Gvozd and Brajici, while the tender for solar power plant Velje Brdo should be launched this year.
