Montenegro: TSO CGES co prepares for JV project with TERNA, 100MEUR share in project

Published on 3. March 2015., SEE Energy News

The substation construction in Lastva Grbaljska will start in April. Construction of transmission line will begin in August. The total investment of CGES will be lower than planned 100 MEUR.

The construction of substation in Lastva Grbaljska will begin in April, and transmission Cevo – Podgorica in August, said Dragan Laketic, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Montenegrin Electric Transmission System” (CGES) .

A big substation in Lastva and transmission line to Pljevlja is part of the future electricity connections between Montenegro and Italy. Italian Terna finances and manages construction of an undersea cable from Italy to Jaz.

Laketic said that the works were progressing according to the plan, and that the job has been ended in connection with the main design and technical documentation for the substation, why it is expected that the contractor Siemens would start work at the beginning or during April. He also notes that the documentation for the transmission line will be completed by the end of July, so Energoinvest Sarajevo should start work in August.

Laketic said it was estimated that the share of Montenegro or CGES, in this project would amount to 100 MEUR, but that now, after the preparation of documentation, it was certain that the construction would cost less.

He stated that, as predicted, the entire project from both sides of the Adriatic would be completed by the end of 2016^th.

“We were informed from our colleagues from Terna that their part of work is progressing according to plan. They reached an agreement with the Croatian side on submarine cable route, where our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has interfered. Terna finances this work and if the route change causes higher costs, it is its part of the obligations”, said Laketic.

Terna share in the project is 760 MEUR, and according to the Italian media their works are already in progress.

The company Sisgen has begun work on the site Valelunga near Pescara last week, where, at 430 meters from the shore, sets polyethylene pipes with a diameter of 50 cm and a length of 500 meters, which will pass through the cable. This work was preceded by drilling channels through which will pass the pipe.

Works officially opened in Pescara on January 20^th do not pass without protests of citizens, but there is prevailed the general impression that the protests will not suspend the project. Local portal Primadanoi states that special session of the regional council at which will be discussed the unfavorable aspects of Terna project once again on Tuesday will not bring concrete results as well as previous meetings on this topic.

Terna said that there would not be swimming prohibition in the zones through which would pass the cable because the cable was not dangerous for swimmers. There are planned certain restrictions for fishing nets.

Terna argues that the cable is not dangerous; it will be controlled in Italy.

Representatives of Terna held meeting with citizens of Pescara and nearby municipalities in recent days, in order to convince them in the project usefulness and safety.

During the presentation, it was announced that the company has given special attention to the project safety, stating categorically that the cable will not pollute nor emit radiation harmful to health. “Continuous electricity produces a magnetic and electric field which are static, virtually identical to that generated by the country, which means that there is no danger of any kind for the citizens”, noted the company.

During the presentation, it was emphasized that Terna will be required with some public research institutions or university to develop a plan ambient monitoring zone through which will pass the cable, in order to record the possible negative impacts on the ecosystem. It is alleged that the controls have to last at least 24 months after the completion of the works, at least four times a year, but it is not specified whether these controls will be carried out only on the Italian side, or Montenegro will be also involved.