The Trans-Balkan Corridor project is a vital part of the process of creating a regional electricity market.
The Trans-Balkan Corridor project is a vital part of the process of creating a regional electricity market.
The project to build the Trans-Balkan electricity corridor is a vital part of the process of creating a regional electricity market, as well as the embodiment of a strategic investment of regional and pan-European significance, said the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. Johanes Han.
Commissioner Han is today, together with the Minister of Economy Dragica Sekulić, Minister for European Affairs By Aleksandar Andrijaj Pejović, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Montenegrin Transmission System Operator (CGES) Dragan Laketić and Director for South-East Europe and Turkey at KfW Bank Christophe Tiskens inspected the site of the Lastva substation in Lastva Grbaljska,
"This is one of the key projects on the Connectivity Agenda that will help to interconnect Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy in terms of electricity. This project and everything that has been done indicates the determination of the European and Montenegrin institutions and shows that They can carry out the obligations they have undertaken.", said Commissioner Hahn.
According to him, this project is significant not only for regional connectivity and the corridor, but also for energy security and tourism development by ensuring an uninterrupted energy supply. Commissioner Hahn recalled that the European Union has supported this project with a grant of 25 million euros and thanked KfW and the EBRD for loans of 25 million and 60 million euros, respectively, as well as Montenegro for its contribution of 17 million euros.
Minister of Economy Dragica Sekulić She said that the project for the construction of the Trans-Balkans Corridor, together with the railway interconnection project between Montenegro and Serbia for which the EU has also allocated significant funds, was among the first projects whose European significance was recognised at one of the previous summits of Western Balkan leaders.
"In this way, I believe, we have given a concrete incentive to our neighbours to create projects that will unite and strengthen our region, for which the European Union will selflessly provide its support. As a region, we have significant energy potential that needs to be utilised, a potential that can make the Western Balkans a serious producer of electricity and an important transit point in Europe – just as we expect Montenegro, thanks in part to this project, to become the energy hub of the region," said Minister Sekulić.
Minister for European Affairs Aleksandar Andrija Pejović He pointed to the importance of EU support through infrastructure funds and the political framework offered by the Berlin Process, and expressed the expectation that the EU, particularly through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, will continue to support the implementation of infrastructure projects in Montenegro.
"The EU, through the Berlin Process, has focused particular attention on regional connectivity through infrastructure projects in the energy and transport sectors, which will lead to stronger ties within the region and better connectivity of the Western Balkans with EU countries," said Minister Pejović.
He pointed out that it is encouraging that Montenegro is the first among the countries of the region in terms of utilising the funds and fulfilling its commitments from the Berlin Process.
"In this regard, we expect the EU to soon allocate additional funds for the preparation and implementation of projects in the areas of transport and the environment. For our part, we will soon adopt an updated Single List of Key Projects at the Government, which will define Montenegro's further development directions in infrastructure,' said Minister Pejović.
President of the Board of Directors of the Montenegrin Transmission System Operator (CGES), Dragan Laketić he said that the construction of a substation in Lastva, a transmission line from Lastva to Pljevlja and onwards to Bajina Bašta and neighbouring systems, as well as the necessary accompanying reconstruction of the Montenegrin transmission network, are to be expected. multiple positive effects for both our company, as the transmission system operator performing a public interest activity, and for other energy entities and users of the transmission system. Namely, by the construction The new electricity transmission corridor creates the prerequisites for the realisation of new investments in the energy sector, primarily in the field of electricity generation from renewable sources. On the other hand, for users of the Montenegrin transmission system, this project will provide significantly greater capacity, security and reliability of the transmission network, enabling the prerequisites for more effective operations and further development.
What is of particular importance in the context of the agenda of connecting with neighbours and, more broadly, with EU countries, is that by realising the interconnection with Italy, as well as with Serbia, i.e. by establishing physical links with the aforementioned systems, CGES will contribute to the development of the regional electricity market.energy and its integration into the single European market," emphasised Laketić.
The current investment cycle would have been a great challenge even for companies and systems much larger than our own, so we had to focus all our capacity on the realisation of this project. I am pleased to confirm that we have further developed them and, I hope, taken the opportunity to gain new knowledge and experience that will enable us to realise the most complex projects in the field of electricity transmission in the future as well,' emphasised Dragan Laketić.
The award of a grant by the European Union for the realisation of the interconnection with Serbia represents strong support for the work undertaken by both Montenegro and CGES in their respective domains to implement the connectivity agenda and integrate into the European energy market, while ensuring the faster implementation of projects with a regional dimension, and without placing an additional burden on the tariffs for consumers in Montenegro.
Understanding that the electricity sector must not be confined within national borders and trapped between potential and limitations, and that connecting with the region and building energy bridges is the future, I wish to emphasise that in CGES, which has always given its full support to regional initiatives, you have a dedicated partner for further work,concluded the Chairman of the CGES Board of Directors, expressing his gratitude to all the friends of this project for their contributions to date.
Director for Southeast Europe and Turkey at KfW Bank Christophe Tiskens He said that the result of seventeen years of cooperation between Germany and Montenegro is reflected in the 440 million euros in grants and loans that KfW has allocated for the development of the financial, municipal, energy and transport sectors. in Montenegro
KfW was selected last year as the 'lead financial institution' for the implementation of a €25 million grant from the European Union in support of the Trans-Balkans Power Transmission Corridor project in Montenegro. KfW is also the lead financial institution for implementing additional EU infrastructure grants of €6.6 million for the Trans-Balkan Power Corridor in Serbia and €14 million for the 400 kV line in Albania to the Macedonian border, all as part of the Connectivity Agenda established within the framework of the Berlin Process," said Tiskens.
He added that they also have other, specific projects planned in the field of hydroenergy and energy efficiency.
"It goes without saying that as the leading financial institution, we are on your side and also for other EU infrastructure projects that you wish to have co-financed by the WBIF, such as the project for the construction of the wastewater treatment plant in Podgorica," said Tiskens.