The construction of the first large-scale solar power plant in the country, solar power plant Briska Gora near Ulcinj, will start by the end of the year, said Montenegrin Minister of Economy Dragica Sekulic. She said that preparatory works on the construction of access roads and energy infrastructure, including the substation and transmission lines, could start by the end of 2020, adding that the project will not be affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
In late May, 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 for the exploitation of solar energy and construction of solar power plant of installed capacity of up to 260 MW. 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. CEO of EPCG Igor Noveljic said last June that the construction of the first phase of Briska Gora solar power plant will start in 2020 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.
