At the Briska gora site in Ulcinj, there are now planning prerequisites for the construction of a 50 megawatt (MW) solar power plant, which is why they will consider all options depending on the National Energy and Climate Plan and amendments to the Detailed Spatial Plan (DPP), which could increase power of this power plant to 250 MW.
This was officially told to "Vijesta" by the Ministry of Energy, which it manages Saša Mujović.
On September 19, the government canceled the decision to grant a long-term lease of land on Briska Gora, on which the consortium consisting of the state-owned Elektroprivreda (EPCG) and the Finnish "Fortum and Sterling&Wilson" was supposed to build a solar power plant.
"With the adoption of the aforementioned decision regarding the tender for Briska Gora, after several years of administrative disputes, the problems of the tender were legally resolved and we are convinced that in the future this location with great potential will be valorized in accordance with all regulations and in the best interest of the state and citizens. There are planning preconditions for the construction of a 50 MW solar power plant on the site in question, for which reasons all possibilities will certainly be considered, and which will primarily depend on the National Energy and Climate Plan, which is currently being drafted, and the amendment of the DPP, which would increase the possibility construction of a 250 MW solar power plant", said the department.
The contract for the lease of this land was signed by the Government and the consortium at the end of 2018. It was planned that the realization of the investment would start in 2020, and the production at the end of 2021, which did not happen.
The contract was annexed five times, and EPCG announced that they are waiting for the Spatial-Urban Plan for Ulcinj to start the investment. At the end of last year, the government tasked the then Ministry of Energy and Mining to form a new tender committee that will re-evaluate the offers received at the tender for the construction of the solar power plant "Briska Gora".
The Department of Energy stated that during the check of the tender documentation, defects were found in all three received offers, which is why the tender was cancelled.
"If the conditions from the tender documentation are taken into account, the established incorrectness of the offer of the bidders of the consortium 'Fortum' and EPCG is reflected in the fact that certain documents have not been translated into the Montenegrin language and certified by a court interpreter, that certain certificates are older than 90 days, then that certain documents required by the Public Invitation and the tender documentation were not submitted with the offer or were not stamped, that the requested certificates were not submitted in accordance with the conditions specified in the tender documentation. Also, the bank guarantee submitted as security for the offer was not issued by the prescribed validity period. "Similar irregularities were found among other bidders, which resulted in all three bids being assessed as incorrect and the public invitation cancelled," said the Ministry of Energy.
They also pointed out that as a department they want further development of renewable energy sources, which, they say, will be contributed to by the adopted Law on the use of energy from renewable sources, which regulates this area in accordance with European rules. They also claim that the adoption of that law opens up new opportunities for the valorization of Briska Gora and other potentials in Montenegro.
Meeting of EPCG and "Fortum" soon
The management of EPCG and the Finnish companies "Fortum and Sterling&Wilson" will meet this month to consider the Government's move to cancel the decision on the long-term lease of land to Briska Gora. This was confirmed by EPCG to "Vijesti" at the end of September, where they emphasized that only after the meeting of the two managements can they declare the decision of the executive authority.
"EPCG and 'Fortum' remain committed to the intention of jointly building SE Briska gora and up to this moment have complied with all obligations that were required in the previous period within the framework of the existing Agreement. We can comment on the decision of the Government and the line ministry after the planned meeting of the two managements, which is scheduled for the month of October, when the newly created circumstances will be considered", said the EPCG.
The state energy company did not specify how much money they have invested so far in the project on Briska Gora.
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