Montenegro plans tender for at least 10 new hydropower and wind power plants

In September, the Montenegrin government will announce the tender for the construction of at least 10 new small run-of-river hydropower plants in the north of the country, said its Economy Minister Branko Vujovic.

In addition, wind power plants will be built on the Mozura site in Ulcinj and the mountain plateau of Krnov, between Niksic and Savnik.

At the end of January of this year, the authorities started a pre-tender procedure relating to the building of four hydropower plants with a combined capacity of 242MW. The government expects to award a 30-year concession to four plants by the end of the year.

Wars and political turmoil during close to two decades have seen the Balkans short of capacity investments and urgently in need for new power sources. Montenegro plans to import around 817GWh, one third of its electricity requirement this year, with supplies coming mostly from Bosnia although some are generated in Serbia. The construction of the four hydro power plants alone could produce up to 730GWh, which would significantly reduce its reliance on imports.