It is a real success story - made in Montenegro and supported by the EU. With it, Montenegro has the potential to become a major energy provider in the region", the Commission President said
President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited today a power substation in Podgorica, one of 15 electricity transmission facilities across Montenegro that have been upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment funded by the European Union.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Aleksandar Mijušković, Executive Director, Ivan Asanović, welcomed European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, on behalf of Crnogorski elektroprenosni sistem expressing their gratitude for the allocated funds that were used to strengthen interconnecting capacities, create preconditions for the connection of renewable energy sources, and increase the level of security of electricity supply to consumers in Montenegro.
During the visit, Ursula von der Leyen had the opportunity to familiarize herself with the most important aspects of this project, through the presentation given by, Nikola Mugoša, Assistant Director of Elektroprenos, who was more than a good host to the respected president.
As part of the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor, one of the flagship projects under the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans, the EU has provided €25 million in non-repayable grants for Montenegro to improve its domestic transmission network, reduce transmission losses and outages, and mitigate the increase in electricity prices for residents, industry and investors.
"It is a real success story - made in Montenegro and supported by the EU. With it, Montenegro has the potential to become a major energy provider in the region," the Commission President said..
The total investment in modernization of Montenegro’s electric transmission grid exceeds €144 million, building on a Team Europe approach and financed by CGES own resources, loans from the international financial institutions an EU grants.
The Montenegrin section of the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor has a strategic regional importance, as it allows for a better connectivity with the electricity transmission systems of Italy and the Balkan Peninsula countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia to Romania).