Laying the underwater power cable between Italy and Montenegro on the Montenegrin coast from the cape of Jazz towards Italy was completed in late 2016.
When the entire project is completed, Montenegro will be in the center of energy flows and will be connected to the energy systems of Italy and Western Europe, thus it will become the energy hub of the Western Balkans with the European Union, reported BHT.
Most of the work regarding cable laying from Montenegro to Italy to has been completed so far and it will transport electricity from the region to the European Union.
The total investment of one billion euros is divided into two parts between the Montenegrin Electricity Transmission company (CGES) and its strategic partner Terna company. Laying the power cable is divided into three sections and so far two cables have been placed along the coasts of Montenegro and Italy.
– CGES has an obligation to build a power substation to which the underwater cable will be connected and transmission line from Lastva to Cevo and from Cevo to Pljevlja, says Executive Director of CGES Ivan Bulatovic, adding that the construction of the substation is in the final stage while the construction of transmission line from Cevo to Pljevlja is underway.
What the highway means for the entire economy and trade of one country, it is the same for the underwater cable between Italy and Montenegro for electricity of the whole region.
It will connect electricity producers and consumers in Eastern and Western Europe.
Montenegro applied for the Western Balkan Investment Fund for the continuation of this project which implies further connection of Montenegro with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
– In this way, we further expand the story about the connection. We connect Montenegro with Italy on the south side, and on the other side 400-kV transmission line with HPP Bajina Basta in Serbia and HPP Visegrad in Bosnia and Herzegovina, says Dragica Sekulic, the Minister of Economy of Montenegro.
Therefore, with this very important project Montenegro, as the past outsider in the former Yugoslavia will become the energy center for electricity.
Upon completion of this project there is a possibility for investments in energy projects not only in Montenegro, but also in the countries of the region with almost certain sales of generated electricity. In this regard, the Montenegrin Electric Power Industry has already intensified works on the construction of Unit II of the Pljevlja thermal power plant.
The entire project of underwater power cable is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and German Development Bank, and its completion is planned in late 2018.
