Montenegro’s planned Velestovo solar and battery project has advanced after Nu Energy signed a network connection agreement with transmission system operator CGES. The agreement follows discussions between CGES CEO Ivan Asanović and Nu Energy CEO Erkut Alkaya. The milestone is linked to the project’s next development steps under the grid connection framework.
Project scope near Cetinje
The Velestovo development near Cetinje is estimated at approximately €50 million. It is being pursued through Nu Energy subsidiary SE Velestovo. Environmental documentation places the planned solar capacity at 60 MW, with battery storage incorporated into the project design.
The project site is positioned close to Montenegro’s high-voltage transmission infrastructure. It is near the intersection of the 400 kV Pljevlja–Lastva Grbaljska and Podgorica–Bosnia and Herzegovina routes. This location is intended to support grid access for the planned generation and storage facilities.
Grid connection and on-site electrical infrastructure
The developer plans to build a 110 kV substation within the solar complex. That substation would connect to a new 110/400 kV facility linked to the CGES grid. The connection agreement between CGES and Nu Energy is described as one of the main technical prerequisites for further development.
Velestovo would use approximately 89,552 monocrystalline modules across about 65 hectares. The module count and land footprint are set out in project documentation supporting the planned layout. The electrical configuration described in the documentation is tied to the proposed connection points on the CGES system.
Battery cooperation and remaining permitting steps
Nu Energy has previously outlined a regional renewable portfolio of approximately 500 MW. The company intends increasingly to pair photovoltaic generation with battery storage across its pipeline. In February 2025, Nu Energy signed a memorandum with Chinese battery manufacturer Cospowers Technology covering potential storage cooperation across Western Balkan solar projects.
The Velestovo project still needs to complete the environmental assessment process. No construction start date has been announced, and no commercial-operation date has yet been provided. Until those steps are completed, development remains at the permitting stage following the grid connection agreement milestone.
