From a modest power plant to a thermal power plant: Few cities have such a connection to electricity production as Pljevlja

Pljevlja has been the energy heart of Montenegro for decades, and few cities in the country have such a strong and long-standing connection with electricity production. From a modest municipal power plant from the 1930s to a modern thermal power plant, Pljevlja has become a symbol of industrial development and a key pillar of the country's electricity system.

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the construction of the first power plant, an event that forever changed the appearance of the city and the lifestyle of its residents.

The history of the electrification of Pljevlja is also a story of perseverance, vision and large investments that turned this city into a place without which it is difficult to imagine a stable supply of electricity to Montenegro today.

The first power plant in Pljevlja was built in 1936 thanks to the efforts of the then mayor. Bogdan Nenadić.

The headquarters was built in the Ševari settlement, on the site of today's supermarket near the Stone Bridge.

Even before the full introduction of electric lighting, in the same year a small generator provided electricity to the building of the National Health Center (built in 1928) and partly to the Pljevlja Gymnasium. Soon after the power plant was put into operation, street lamps disappeared from the streets and kerosene lamps from the houses. At the request of the people of Žabljak, three lamps were even donated to the Žabljak municipality.

The first electrical materials store was opened very quickly. Its owner Kijanovic he brought brothers from Valjevo Visic, who began to introduce electricity to private homes.

The construction of the power plant with a nine-kilometer distribution network cost 950.000 dinars at the time. It was the first thermal power plant in Montenegro, with a capacity of only 70 kilowatts.

For the construction, Nenadić took out a loan of one million dinars from Hipotekarna Banka, with an interest rate of eight percent and a repayment period of 20 years. The City Electrification Committee was formed, two auctions were held, and the engineer made the best offer. Miroslav Marsicanin from Belgrade. He brought the Czech to Pljevlja Joseph Sklenar who installed the power plant, while the supervision of the works was carried out by Zarko Rocen. The construction of the building housing the power plant cost around 180.000 dinars. Instead of the projected 11, 40 200-watt light bulbs were installed. The maintenance of the power plant and the handling of the equipment were in charge of Svetozar Veličković i Ivo Šivez from Serbia. Velickovic also performed the duties of an electrician. The power plant manager was Pljevljak Mehmedalija ŠećerkadićAfter a decade and a half of operation, the first power plant in Pljevlja ceased operation in 1950.

Meanwhile, in the settlement of Doganje, not far from the current separation of the Coal Mine, a new, significantly larger power plant was installed, which also supplied electricity to the surrounding villages.

The Ministry of Electric Power Industry of Yugoslavia allocated over 20 million dinars for its construction in 1949. The planned power was 2.500 kilowatts, more than the total power of all Montenegrin power plants at the time.

Work began in June 1949 and was completed at the end of December of the same year. The power plant was put into operation on January 6, 1950.

However, serious shortcomings in the construction were noticed at the very beginning of the work. Instead of the designed power, the power plant had only 1.000 kilowatts available in the first year, and the daily production was only 500 kWh, as much as 14 times less than the thermal power plant in Kotor. It was necessary to invest additional funds in the reconstruction of the boiler house and the plant. Engineers proposed the construction of a new building and the reassembly of the entire plant, with the reconstruction of the boiler. The Main Directorate for the Electric Power Industry of Montenegro nevertheless opted for the reconstruction of the boiler house. It was estimated that these works would require less financial resources than the construction of a new boiler house. The construction of the power plant, including a nine-kilometer distribution network, cost about 950 thousand dinars.

In the 1970s, preparations began for the construction of the modern Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant. In June 1974, the Parliament of Montenegro provided guarantees for a loan signed between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, which was to supply key equipment.

The foundation stone was laid on November 20, 1974, while preparatory work began in October 1975. Due to constantly rising costs and chronic lack of funds, construction was postponed several times. The estimated cost increased from the planned 1,188 billion dinars to 3,8 billion by 1982.

After four delays, the thermal power plant was put into trial operation on October 22, 1982. The first kilowatts were obtained by burning fuel oil to heat the boiler, and on November 24, coal-fired production began.

Officially, the thermal power plant began operating on November 20, 1983, on the Liberation Day of Pljevlja.

Today, the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant is the backbone of the Montenegrin power system and one of the most important energy facilities in the country. Thanks to its rich coal deposits and long tradition of electricity production, Pljevlja has strategic importance for the country's energy stability.