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Montenegro: New HPPs, Power utility EPCG & Gov against the Green NGOs

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Montenegro could, with its exceptional water potential, become one of the most ideal states of Europe, if a common sense finally prevails, said an expert for Hydro energy, Mr. Branislav Đorđević.

“However, if the state demonstrates inability to resist those individuals and organizations that oppose any construction, in the name of some alleged environmental goals, then, unfortunately for all of us, Montenegro will be the power dependent country, with all very bad consequences for the overall development”, says Đorđević.

“If some people and organizations from 19th century come back into 21st century and if we realize that the main steps of development are precisely in the wise usage of our own resources, without compromising the environment, then Montenegro might be able to meet the largest part of its needs for electricity from its own renewable resources”, said Đorđević.

In the interview for the newspaper Electric Power Industry, he said that he saw no respectable energy future of Montenegro, if the destructive influence that opposed the construction of the hydro energy facilities was still surprisingly successful.

According to Mr. Đorđević, if Montenegro turns to development wisely, relying on the respectable water potentials and if the rule is applied that the projects in the water field are always the best development projects by which the whole country is pulled out of the crisis and stagnation and taken to a higher orbit of development, then its energy future will be very good or exemplary.

“However, if the state demonstrates inability to resist those individuals and organizations that oppose any construction, in the name of some alleged environmental goals, then, unfortunately for all of us, Montenegro will be the power dependent country, with all very bad consequences for the overall development”, says Đorđević.

He stated that all the projects in the water sector were integrated, multifunctional, with a whole range of goals – energy, economic development, water management, social, environmental, urban, traffic and cultural.

“However, we still name projects only as hydropower, which is a strategic mistake. While we do not speak about many other goals, nor timely inform the public, we allow various informal groups, non-governmental organizations (NGO) and individuals to denigrate the project with a bunch of lies and falsehoods for selfish interests and create a negative atmosphere in public, which makes its implementation very difficult or even impossible”, said Mr. Đorđević.

He said that that was the way how the project of hydro power plant (HPP) Buk Bjela had failed, which, as he assessed, would have been remarkable, not only from the energy and development point of view, but also from the environmental and tourist point of view.

“Unfortunately, that project failed, because only one side was  presented to the public, only as HPP Buk Bjela, but it had a very wide variety of goals, not just economic-development, but environmental and tourist as well”, said Đorđević.

He claims that if he was a businessman, he would seek a concession for the entire Lima in Montenegro.

“I am confident that I would do well. Everyone in Polimlje would do well, since the whole valley would have urban and traffic construction”, said Mr.

Speaking about reservoirs and their importance, he said that their significance was well known around the world and that developed countries had constructed them wherever they could.

According to Mr. Đorđević, it is good for the country to have reservoirs with seasonal regulation, but also with the smaller regulation.

“That is recognized in the world long ago, but only in these unfortunate areas, their construction is disabled as soon as they are mentioned”, added Mr. Đorđević.

As he said, in order to manage the water, we should have as many reservoirs as we could, even the one with seasonal regulation, that could mitigate the flood and significantly increase the flow in low flow periods.

“Well, this is the gist of the misunderstanding with numerous, pretty loud and frequently aggressive individuals and NGOs, who do not understand the elementary strategic fact that now man should save and protect ecosystems and allow their development by water management”, said Mr. Đorđević.

He estimated that planed integral systems of Tara, Piva and other rivers, especially on Morača, have very wide range of goals, including very important ecologic and tourist goals.

“Thus, I am fully convinced that they represent the largest and most reliable development projects of Montenegro”, said Mr. Đorđević.

When it comes to alternative energy, he said that the main misconception was exactly in the imposed empty phrase that all alternative energies were renewable and environmentally clean. .

“So, my advice to Montenegro is to look at it soberly, without rushing, not allowing to the world brokers to occupy the grassy slopes of Sinjajevna or Durmitor with solar panels, without wind parks at the reef above Budva and above Bosac on Durmitor”, said Mr. Đorđević

He added that Montenegro should carefully and highly professionally weight what they could obtain with such sources and what could be lost.

“Well-intentionally, I warn people in Montenegro who make decisions regarding so-called alternative energy sources to be extremely careful, to cautiously analyze the energy performance and actual impacts of such facilities on the environment”, advised Mr. Đorđević.

He concluded that it was particularly important to prevent the construction of small hydro power plants (SHPP) along the rivers where, once they were constructed, they prevent the construction of large, profitable plants, the one that could fit much better into the surroundings.

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