Montenegro: Construction of SHPPs to be banned

Published on 7. December 2020., SEE Energy News

All existing small hydropower plants’ concession agreements will be reviewed and revised by the new Government and it will permanently ban the construction of small hydropower plants (SHPP) in Montenegro, said Montenegrin Prime Minister-Designate Zdravko Krivokapic and he also announced amendments to the Energy Law.

Krivokapic said that green economy is one of the basic pillars of the new Government’s policy and that the ultimate goal is for Montenegro to become an ecological state. He said that privileged individuals have benefited from the construction of SHPPs so far, but watercourses are one of the greatest natural resources of Montenegro and as such must be preserved. He noted that SHPPs do great damage to river ecosystems, nature and public finances, and their participation in the energy system is negligible.

According to him, investments in the environment, adapting to climate change and reducing harmful gas emissions will be the priorities of the new Government.

In the neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the entities – the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) also recently decided to ban the construction of small hydropower plants.

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