Montenegro moves forward with new 82 MW hydropower plant

The geological investigation works required for the construction of the Kruševo Hydropower Plant (HPP) have begun, opening a new phase in the preparation of one of Montenegro’s most important energy projects, creating the preconditions for the parallel implementation of other necessary activities.

The facility, to be built on the Piva River downstream from the existing Piva HPP, is planned to have an installed capacity of 82 megawatts (MW) and an annual generation of around 170 gigawatt-hours (GWh). The investment, worth approximately 160 million euros, is financed by the state-owned power company EPCG.

As Milutin Đukanović, Chairman of the EPCG Board of Directors, stated, Montenegro can hardly create a more competitive product than electricity, and the green transition represents an opportunity not only for Elektroprivreda but for the entire country and its citizens. “The more power sources we have, the more we will be able to realise the essence of our work, which is to ensure affordable electricity prices for citizens, while new investments also mean new jobs.”

“Montenegro has a chance to take a leading position in the region among countries that make use of their natural potential responsibly, in a modern way, and in line with the highest environmental standards,” said Šahmanović, Minister of Energy and Mining.

EPCG signed the contract for the execution of the works with the Jaroslav Černi Water Management Institute on 29 November 2024. Earlier, on 20 September 2024, the company signed an MoU with the French EDF, establishing a long-term cooperation framework in the field of energy transition and hydropower, with a special focus on the Kruševo HPP project.

In the coming period, EPCG will work together with international partners to confirm the optimal technical solution, while also considering the possibility of building a reversible (pumped storage) hydropower plant and preparing the technical documentation necessary for the implementation of the Kruševo HPP project.