Solar power plant next to Poklonci spring

Elektroprivreda plans panels on Krupačka Lake on an area of ​​1,18 million square meters, the project will also need a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency

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The project received urban planning and technical conditions in 2023: Krupac, Photo: Sv. Mandić
The project received urban planning and technical conditions in 2023: Krupac, Photo: Sv. Mandić
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) plans to build a solar power plant in three places along the shore of Lake Krupa, on a total area of ​​about 1,18 million square meters (118 hectares).

For this project in the town of Stuba in Nikšić, an Environmental Impact Assessment Elaboration will have to be done, because the Poklonci water source is also located there.

It is a hilly terrain that mainly consists of low vegetation, the removal of which is planned in the places where the solar panels will be installed.

This, among other things, is written in the documentation published on the website of the Environmental Protection Agency.

At the beginning of December last year, EPCG filed a request for a decision on the need to prepare the Elaboration for this project, while the Agency determined at the end of that month that the state-owned company will have to submit that document.

EPCG has a deadline of two years for the preparation of the Elaboration.

The project in Nikšić is worth around 28,2 million euros and is part of the valorization of water in the Nikšić field, which includes several solar and reversible power plants.

The total power of the power plant is 46,96 megawatts (MWp), and an annual production of 61,68 gigawatt-hours (GWh) is expected.

The plots on which the power plant will be built are located under the road leading to Plužine and Šavnik, and are about seven kilometers away from the center of Nikšić as the crow flies.

Part of the city water supply

"It is important to point out that the Poklonci water source is located within the scope of the considered plots for the construction of the power plant. The new works must not affect the water regime and quality of the Poklonci spring, which has been part of the Nikšić public water system since recently. All existing and potential sources of high-quality underground and surface water and areas are potentially promising for water supply and must be protected and improved with adequate measures, and then maintain the prescribed regime in them (establishment of protection zones, afforestation of watersheds, etc.). The positive side of building a solar power plant is reflected in the fact that the installation of the modules occupies a large area of ​​land that will not be exposed to direct sunlight. Therefore, the surface watercourses will be protected to a certain extent from water evaporation due to direct solar radiation, especially during the summer months", the documentation submitted by EPCG emphasizes.

They also state that no immovable cultural assets have been registered at the planned locations, but that there are no visible remains of material and cultural assets that would indicate possible archaeological sites. They also state that the construction and operation of the power plant will have a visible impact on the landscape.

In addition, as part of the project, the construction of four roads, with a total length of 1,88 kilometers, is planned along the shore of Lake Krupac, in order to enable the functioning of the complex.

It is emphasized that standard pollution from machines is expected during the works, but also that during the operation of the solar power plant there will be no emissions of harmful substances that would affect the surrounding population. It is also stated that there will be no quantity of waste materials that would negatively affect the quality of land, water, air, flora and fauna, as well as that the greatest negative impact will be on the landscape of the location itself, as solar panels are being installed on an area of ​​1,18 million square.

The government issued urban planning and technical conditions for the Krupac power plant in September 2023.

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