Montenegro utility to build its first battery storage systems

Montenegro’s largest power utility, EPCG, said it plans to develop lithium-ion battery energy storage systems at four locations in order to harness excess renewable energy production and ensure the flexibility of the power system.

The goal is to use the existing infrastructure for connection to the grid. The projects foreseen in the plan adopted by the EPCG Board of Directors include a 60 MWh system located at the hydropower plant Perućica, two units of 60 MWh at metal processing company EPCG Željezara Nikšić, and another 60 MWh system next to the thermal power plant Pljevlja.

The utility has also decided to install a 5 MWh battery energy storage system alongside its proposed Kapino Polje solar power plant, which would have 5 MW of installed capacity.

EPCG said in a statement last week that the next steps will be the opening of public calls for the preparation of a feasibility study and a conceptual design study.

EPCG has 874 MW of installed generation capacity, with 649 MW coming from two big hydro power plants, Perucica and Piva. It also operates the 225 MW TE Pljevlja, the country’s sole thermal power plant.

The utility also has several small hydropower plants and is developing a number of renewable energy projects, including Komarnica hydroelectric power plant (172 MW), WF Gvozd wind power plant (54.6 MW) and SP Briska Gora solar power plant (250 MW).