Elektroprivreda (EPCG) must improve its operations in all segments, adapt it to state conditions and, in cooperation with the Government, start investing in new energy facilities, announced the company's executive director, Nikola Rovčanin.
"In this company, while I am the executive director, there will be no revanchism or any discrimination based on political, religious, national or any other affiliation, and these are the principles we will adhere to and apply in our work," said Rovčanin. in the statement.
He said that every segment of the system that functions well and achieves results will be supported, encouraged and strengthened to continue in the direction of further improvement of work. Also, every segment that does not satisfy and achieves insufficiently good or negative results will, as is natural, professional and logical, be changed both in terms of organization and personnel.
"The company's business policy will be completely on the track laid out by the new government in all segments, and that direction is the only guarantee of improvement and an accelerated path to our country's full membership in the European Union (EU)," Rovčanin said.
He said that EPCG continues with subsidies for socially vulnerable categories of the population, as well as with a discount for regular payments.
"I will advocate that the strategic goal of the company must be adequate monitoring of the socioeconomic situation of citizens, so we will also make decisions in that direction on establishing a balance between market prices on the stock exchange and the socioeconomic situation, especially taking into account the categories of sensitive consumers," Rovčanin added.
According to him, what citizens especially expect, will open the topic of reviewing the policy of subsidies for electricity from renewable energy sources and other fees that burden the accounts, of course in the area of competence, and, in cooperation with state authorities, come to the best possible solutions.
"I have to state that Thermal Power Plant (TE) Pljevlja was brought to the verge of shutdown and left in such a status to the new management. In accordance with Article 73 of the Law on Industrial Emissions, I informed the Ministry of Capital Investments about the number of working hours of the thermal power plant for the past year, as well as in total since 2018," said Rovčanin.
Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant, as he assessed, is the foundation and support of the energy system and it must continue to operate. Its importance is best illustrated by the fact that, if it were to stop operating this year, EPCG would have to import around 70 million euros of electricity to cover the expected consumption of consumers, and with the additional costs of cross-border transmission capacities, that amount would reach roughly 80 million euros.
"I expect a positive outcome of the talks between the competent Ministry and the Energy Community precisely during the period of the regular annual overhaul of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant, which began on April 1 and lasts until June 1, when it is out of operation, after which the continuation of work and additional working hours would be ensured . I base my optimism on understanding the importance of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant, the extremely negative consequences and effects of its shutdown, but also the fact that the global pandemic had a negative impact on the start of the implementation of the ecological reconstruction project of the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant," said Rovčanin.
He said that the implementation of the ecological reconstruction project is slowly starting and the official start of the works will soon be announced.
"I am convinced that TE Pljevlja will be the most modern and with unique technology in the region. In accordance with the contractual obligations, I expect the completion of the works in July next year," added Rovčanin. The construction of new energy facilities, with an emphasis on the development of renewable energy sources, is the main goal of the new management of EPCG.
"There is no and must not be a dilemma. Likewise, the focus of our attention is the continuation of the revitalization of existing capacities. Simply, we have to do everything to modernize the company, and bring its operations in line with the highest European standards," said Rovčanin.
He said that, given that their vision of the development of EPCG is dominated by the development of renewable energy sources, they must speed up the dynamics of activities on the construction projects of the Gvozd wind park and the Briska Gora solar power plant. The start of the construction of the wind generator farm on Gvozd is scheduled for this year, and its completion 18 months after the start of the project implementation.
"There, we have already established preliminary cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in order to provide the necessary funds for the realization of the project," said Rovčanin.
He also said that he hopes to succeed in the implementation of the Briska Gora solar power plant project, where cooperation with the Government, relevant ministries and Ulcinj local self-government is very important to them.
"With the realization of these two projects, we would get an additional between 100 and 250 megawatts (MW) of installed power, which will undoubtedly generate further development not only of our company and the power system, but also of the country as a whole. I remind you that the planned power of VE Gvozd is 54,6 MW with an annual production of about 150 GWh of electricity, which is enough to cover the consumption of about 25 thousand households," said Rovčanin.
Phased construction of the power plant is planned on Briska Gora, namely the first phase with a minimum installed power of 50 MW and the second up to a total planned installed power of more than 200 MW.
"We should not forget the project of the future HPP Komarnica, for which EPCG received a concession. Important work awaits us in the continuation of the revitalization of our hydropower facilities. This year, the last two generators will be reconstructed at HPP Perućica, and the assembly of the remaining three transformer blocks will continue. We must also work on increasing the installed power of Perućica through the installation of the eighth power unit," said Rovčanin.
At HPP Piva, capital reconstruction of unit A3 is to come. The goal is clear, all their power plants must be operationally ready and reliable in order to be able to respond to the needs and requirements of the power system and bring profit to the company in the coming period.
"I also know how important the realization of the phased reclamation project of the slag and ash landfill in Maljevac is and how much it will mean that soon a park with all facilities and over 45 thousand seedlings will be arranged at that location," added Rovčanin.
He believed, at the very beginning of his engagement, that it was of crucial importance that the company improve its image and focus on domestic business, so he implemented a set of business rationalization measures in the first week of his duties.
"I found a fleet of 130 vehicles, with annual fuel costs of 200 euros, and several luxury vehicles that were purchased according to the personal desires of individuals, and whose price reached as much as 70 euros. After the decision on rationalization, 60 vehicles are parked, that is, they can be used only during working hours, and I started the sale process for 18 cars", Rovčanin specified.
The costs of the national team for last year were around 58 thousand euros, so for the current year he made a new decision where I limited this type of relief to 16,5 thousand euros, which is an amount aligned with real needs.
"In the previous year, which was an election year, the company allocated around 1,4 million euros for donations and sponsorships. These amounts must be drastically reduced, and the social responsibility of the company must be demonstrated dominantly through assistance to the health system, which I did with a donation of EUR 15 thousand to the General Hospital in Pljevlja. "I will not allow or tolerate wastefulness in the company, because every euro must be taken care of," Rovčanin said.
Also, the illegality in the work that lasted for 20 months was removed and the executive manager who covered two functions and at the same time was his own hierarchical superior was replaced.
"In the first week of my work engagement, I had a conversation with the representatives of the trade union organization and after a constructive discussion we reached an agreement to change the individual collective agreement in the next month and meet the demands of the employees for the realization of their rights, which they have been waiting for for several years," said Rovčanin.
After inspecting the state of the company's facilities, Rovčanin launched an initiative for the adaptation and reconstruction of facilities - toll booths throughout Montenegro, which are in a state that damages the company's reputation. It is inadmissible for betting shops to have better-arranged entrances and facilities, some of which are owned or used by the strongest state company.
"During the first three weeks of the new management's operation, we increased the level of transparency and visibility in the company's work, which will continue to be the practice in the future. The realization of a pilot project is in progress, with which we start our own production of video and photo content for the needs of the company, which will achieve additional savings", said Rovčanin.
In cooperation with the Government, they implemented a project, through the implementation of which 380 thousand citizens received all the necessary information about vaccination against covid-19 along with the bill.
"Soon, in order to prevent the pandemic, we will implement a project of enhanced hygiene measures and supervision in all EPCG facilities," added Rovčanin.
He said that the company faces serious challenges.
"We continue responsibly, devotedly and dedicatedly in the interest of all citizens of Montenegro", concluded Rovčanin.
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