Montenegro, exclusive report: Key characteristics of the energy balance for 2014th, electricity surpluses projected

Published on 19. March 2014., SEE Energy News

Montenegro electricity balance for 2014^th is characterized by excess, mainly by high quality, peak power. Also, the balance will be achieved by “stringent” market rules than it was the case in the past. The key novelty in the balance is the introduction of HPP “Piva” in Montenegro power utility company EPCG portfolio after contract expiry on long-term technical cooperation between Montenegro power utility company EPCG and Serbian power utility company EPS in early January. This contract regulated exchange of peak electricity from HPP ”Piva” for a constant, the so-called basic electricity from Serbia power utility EPS system.

With termination of its validity, and the fact that supply of the Aluminum Plant Podgorica and “Zeljezara Niksic” from 1^st  January 2013^th is no longer in the hands of EPCG, the structure of the power balance is significantly altered. Thus, virtually there is no deficit in 2014th when it comes to meeting the needs of electricity customers whose supplier is EPCG. Respectively, only in August, Montenegro does not have not electricity surplus, and during all other months Montenegro have energy which can offer to the market.

By combining the production of different electricity sources available to EPCG, on the one hand and the needs of supply, namely contracted sales within Montenegro, on the other hand (for 2014^th these are contracts with MNE TSO “CGES”, with “Toscelik Zeljezara” and Montenegro Railway Infrastructure) are optimized monthly, weekly, daily and hourly balances and thereby are created profiles for sale at the best conditions. Peak electricity generated by HPP ”Piva” as the most expensive on the market is sold exclusively on weekdays. In addition to this optimization, weekend -work days, there are a number of combinations that lead to optimal evaluation, not only of peak electricity, but the rest of the production, depending on the time of year and day, the market situation, which is monitored from hour  to hour on stock exchanges and platforms. In order to fully monitor the implementation of all elements of the clockwork balance and timely to respond to changes in real time, EPCG opened at the beginning of the year the Operating center that operates 24 hours a day (two shifts) in OC “Power Management”. This was imperative because of the entry into force of the balance responsibility (punishing of delays from the registered timetables), which came into force in October 2013th, which is in the competence of the Electricity Market Operator in Montenegro. In this sense, HPP ”Piva”, with its characteristics, is exceptionally high quality element of the portfolio, not only EPCG, but the power system of Montenegro in general.

Compared to the previous years, the key novelty in the balance for 2014^th is the introduction of HPP ”Piva” production in the EPCG portfolio after a contract on long-term business and technical cooperation between the Montenegro Power utility company EPCG and Serbia power utility company EPS has expired at the beginning of January.

Source; Serbia Energy See Desk