For the exploitation of solar energy and construction of solar power plant of installed capacity of over 200 MW, the Montenegrin Government drafted an amendment to the Spatial Plan of municipality of Ulcinj in relation to a long-term lease of the land in the Briska Gora location. The statement from the Government said that the agreement on the lease of state-owned land defines the construction of a solar plant in two phases – phase I of minimum installed capacity of 50 MW and phase II of a total planned installed capacity of over 200 MW.
The land for the construction of the solar power plant has been leased to the consortium consisting of state-owned power utility EPCG, Finnish company Fortum and Sterling&Wilson. The objective of the amendment is to increase the planned capacities for exploitation of solar power and to secure the planning requirements for the realization of the agreement on the lease of state-owned land. The draft amendment proposes an increase of the zone for the construction of the solar power plant from 467 ha to 1,019 ha, that is, of the capacity of the solar power plant from 118 MW to 262 MW. CEO of EPCG Igor Noveljic said last June that the construction of the first phase of Briska Gora solar power plant will start next year and will last 18 months, which means that first kWh of electricity from the plant are expected in 2021. He said that the establishment of Montenegro-based project company, which will be in charge of the construction of 200 million euros worth solar plant, is in final stage. EPCG and Finnish Fortum will hold 49 % stake each, while Sterling&Wilson will have 2 % stake.
