CGES INVESTED NEARLY THREE MILLION EUROS IN REPLACING TRANSFORMERS AND RECONSTRUCTING POWER LINES ON THE MONTENEGRO COAST

In order to prepare for the summer tourist season as effectively as possible, and taking into account the expected increase in electricity consumption, the Montenegrin Electricity Transmission System has undertaken a series of activities to ensure that the electricity supply remains safe and stable, and is further improved.

During 2023, in addition to the regular activities which include inspections, overhauls and revisions of the elements of the electricity transmission system, at the 110/35 kV 'Budva' substation the existing 40 MVA power transformer was replaced with a new power transformer with a higher transmission capacity of 63 MVA. Also, at the 110/35 kV 'Ulcinj', a higher-capacity transformer (40 MVA) was installed, and the very significant reconstruction of the 110 kV 'Herceg Novi-Tivat' transmission line was also completed, thereby significantly improving the reliability of the electricity supply to the Montenegrin coast.

It should be noted that the power transformer is the most important element of any substation, and replacing them with a higher transmission capacity allows for a greater flow of electrical power through the network and improves supply capacity. This is particularly important during peak loads in the tourist season when the demand for electricity is at its highest. The increased grid capacity and reduced risk of overload contribute to a stable and reliable electricity supply. Reconstruction of the 110 kV transmission line The reconstruction of the 110 kV Herceg Novi – Tivat transmission line involved replacing all components that are prone to failure (conductors, guy ropes, insulators, and suspension and jointing equipment), thereby ensuring stable electricity transmission and reducing the duration of power cuts.

The total value of the installed equipment and the works carried out is almost three million euros. It is important to emphasise that the work on replacing the power transformers, which is technically and professionally extremely demanding, involved the installation of the power transformer, the replacement of all plant components that did not meet the new requirements due to the capacity increase (conductor insulators, metering transformers, busbars, cross-connections…), adjustments to protection and control, and testing of the equipment, CGES carried out with its own resources.

For the implementation of all the aforementioned works, in addition to the internal organisation and coordination within CGES, the successful cooperation with colleagues from the Montenegrin Electric Power Distribution System was also very important, which made it possible for all the aforementioned works to be carried out with the shortest possible planned interruptions to the electricity supply to consumers, which are inevitable when carrying out such demanding investments. All these improvements to the electricity transmission network infrastructure on the Montenegrin coast will significantly enhance both the security and reliability of the electricity supply for the entire local population, as well as the quality of the tourist season.