The small hydroelectric plants Podgor and Rijeka Crnojevića have been reconnected to Montenegro’s power grid after complete reconstruction, as announced by Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG).
The reconstruction, valued at around 1.6 million EUR, included a full replacement of the hydromechanical and electrical equipment, installation of high and low voltage systems, renovation of the interior and exterior of the machinery building, as well as the rehabilitation of intake structures with a remote monitoring and control system connected to the Perućica Hydro Power Plant, under which these facilities operate. The equipment installed was sourced from renowned European manufacturers: a dual-chamber Gros-flow turbine from CINK (Czech Republic), a self-excited generator from Marelli (Italy), a transformer from Makitel Dooel (North Macedonia), and medium-voltage equipment from Schneider Electric (France).
“MHE Podgor and MHE Rijeka Crnojevića are the oldest production facilities owned by our company. They delivered the first kilowatt-hours to the Montenegrin power system as early as 1941. They were not operational from 2015 until their reconstruction,” the statement reads.
The reactivation of these two energy facilities, which will annually supply the system with approximately 3.5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of green energy, was officially confirmed by EPCG Executive Director Ivan Bulatović. He emphasized that the reconstruction of these plants reflects EPCG’s responsible approach to preserving its cultural and historical heritage. “The most important thing is to preserve EPCG’s cultural and historical heritage, and I believe we are doing it the right way. We will continue this trend of revitalizing our facilities while also investing in new, higher-capacity production plants,” Bulatović stated.
The level of reconstruction and adaptation is such that the plants are now capable of operating without staff, using a remote control and monitoring system from the Perućica Hydro Power Plant.
Radovan Đukanović, Head of the Perućica Hydro Power Plant, explained that the adaptation and reconstruction process began in 2017, with the conceptual project completed by the end of 2018, followed by the completion of the detailed design in April 2020.
“Then, a public call was issued for the preparation and revision of the main project and the procurement and installation of equipment, and at the beginning of last year, a contract was signed with the company Vigoris from Podgorica,” said Đukanović.
The installed capacity of MHE Podgor is 360 kW, with a planned production of 1.8 GWh, while the installed capacity of MHE Rijeka Crnojevića is 451 kW, with a planned production of 1.7 GWh of clean green energy.
