Expropriation completed in 96.62 per cent of cases
Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – The land expropriation process for the project to build a 400-kilovolt (kV) transmission line from Lastva to Pljevlja has been completed in 96.62 per cent of cases, the Montenegrin Transmission System Operator (CGES) has announced.
"With regard to the 400 kV Lastva – Čevo – Pljevlja transmission line, which has 650 pole sites, the land acquisition process on private property is in its final stages, with around 96.62 per cent, or 344 out of a total of 356 cases, having been acquired. This means that CGES and the landowners have largely managed to find a common solution," CGES said in a statement to the Mina-business agency.
As they explained, discussions and negotiations with the other owners had taken place, which to date have not been successful.
"This does not mean that every possibility of finding a solution for both sides has been exhausted. However, even in such situations, there is a clearly defined legal procedure to follow," CGES said.
CGES reminded that the project for the construction of the 400 kV Lastva transmission line – Čevo – Pljevlja is being carried out as part of the obligation under the Agreement on the Coordination of the Project for Connecting the Power Systems of Montenegro and Italy, as well as due to the need to strengthen the transmission network, in order to create the prerequisites for improving the economic development of the Montenegrin coast and the northern part of the country.
The project involves the construction of two power lines and the Lastva substation.
In July 2011, the Government adopted the Detailed Spatial Plan (DSP) for the 400 kV transmission line corridor with an optical cable from the Montenegrin coast to Pljevlja and the 500 kV submarine cable with an optical cable to Italy – Montenegro, with a strategic environmental assessment, thereby creating the prerequisites for the project's implementation.
CGES stated that, based on data from the project documentation, the Property Directorate prepared an Expropriation Report, on the basis of which the Government declared a public interest in expropriating the property for the construction of the Lastva–Čevo and Čevo–Pljevlja power lines.
"The Commission formed by the Property Directorate has carried out a valuation of the land that needs to be expropriated and CGES has, in accordance with legal regulations, deposited the money as defined by the valuation into a special account of the Ministry of Finance and has begun the land expropriation procedure," CGES said.
CGES stated that their intention and desire was to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with the landowners, which was the case in a significant number of instances.
"It can be stated that at this point, CGES has completed the largest part of the very difficult and responsible work. A large number of landowners have recognised the interest in the construction of such an electrical power facility and have agreed to cede their land in return for reasonable compensation," CGES said.
The compulsory purchase for the Lastva substation has been completed and the entire plot of land has been registered in the name of CGES.
CGES reminded that a large number of public discussions were held regarding the environmental impact assessment of the Lastva-Čevo-Pljevlja transmission line project in Kotor, Cetinje, Nikšić, Šavnik, Žabljak and Pljevlja.
"Throughout the world, there are examples of people living alongside power lines and construction works. This is a compromise that comes with the modern way of life. However, the key thing is that there are clear regulations and rules governing this issue," CGES added.
CGES, according to its representatives, conducted all procedures in accordance with national legislation, as well as the relevant policies of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), when implementing the project to build the power line from Lastva to Pljevlja.
"The goal is only one – to increase the security of the electricity supply to every part of our Montenegro," CGES added.
When it comes to the benefits of that project, CGES said that they are multiple.
Some of these, they announced, include connecting the Montenegro-Italy interconnector with a submarine cable, which should ultimately lead to a reduction in the transmission tariff for consumers in Montenegro.
"The benefits include creating the prerequisites for the development of infrastructure projects in the north and south of Montenegro, improving voltage-reactive conditions, reducing losses in the transmission network, and the possibility of dual-sided power supply to the Brezna and Žabljak substations," CGES said.
Energy expert and professor at the University of Montenegro, Speaking about the possible harmful impact of power lines on human health and the environment, Milutin Ostojić said that the construction of a power line occupies the space through which it passes and causes restrictions on its use, which are detailed in the Regulation on Technical Norms for the Construction of Overhead Electrical Power Lines.
The assessment of the reduction in economic gain is determined by agreement or in a separate court proceeding with the mandatory participation of expert witnesses from the fields of electrical engineering, construction, and agriculture. An environmental impact assessment is carried out for each transmission line, with the aim of identifying all negative consequences and measures to bring them within the prescribed limits," Ostojić told the Mina-business agency.
He stated that the 400 kV power lines in Montenegro have been in place for over 40 years and that experience has shown that not a single pylon has collapsed to date.
To date, power lines have been designed only in relation to either additional load or wind pressure, whichever is more unfavourable. The new European standard from May 2012 provides for the simultaneous consideration of wind pressure and additional loads, such as ice and snow. The mechanical calculation of the Čevo-Pljevlja transmission line was carried out in accordance with this recommendation, which guarantees its reliability," claims Ostojić.
He said that in Montenegro, the Law on Protection from Non-Ionising Radiation and the Regulation on Exposure Limits for Electromagnetic Fields came into force last year.
Our regulation has been drawn up in full compliance with the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council, of June 2013, which lays down minimum requirements with regard to safety and health.of people exposed to non-ionising radiation, noting that for the area of extremely low frequencies, our regulation is, however, more restrictive. The new power line from Lastva to Pljevlja fully complies with the regulation," said Ostojić.
He explained that very often in the public, a distinction is not made between types of radiation and sources of radiation, so the non-ionising radiation from power lines is treated as if it were ionising radiation, and is often compared with alpha, beta or gamma radiation.
On the scale of radiation sources, the least harmful is the electric and magnetic field created by sources of extremely low frequencies, to which high-voltage power lines also belong. In the case of power lines, it is non-ionising radiation, which is less dangerous than that produced by radio and television devices, let alone mobile phones," said Ostojić.
He said that the electric field and magnetic induction strengths at a height of one metre above the ground were measured in the corridors of existing 400 kV power lines in Montenegro.
The measured values were significantly below the limit values prescribed by the Regulation. It can even be concluded that in some cases the magnetic induction under the power lines is lower at one metre above the ground than the magnetic induction produced by certain household appliances, for example some types of hair dryers or vacuum cleaners," said Ostojić.
He announced that the calculation of the electric field and magnetic induction beneath and alongside the Čevo–Pljevlja transmission line was carried out with particular care along the entire route, and especially on the sections adjacent to settlements and residential buildings.
For the entire route of the power line, orthophoto images were created of a 100-metre-wide strip, clearly showing all objects and their position in relation to the power line, as well as all crossings with other lines and roads, and agricultural plots. Wherever necessary, the designers were asked to make the required modifications to the project, which they did. It can now be concluded that the fields have a significantly lower value than the borderline," said Ostojić.
The general conclusion is, as he added, that the results of the field calculations below and near the Čevo – Pljevlja transmission line clearly show that the radiation level will be significantly below the limit values prescribed by the Regulation and the recommendations of the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection. (ICNIRP).
He said that near the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant, in the settlement of Komini, there are currently four other power lines: three 110 kV lines, two 220 kV lines from the Piva Hydroelectric Power Plant (HE Piva), and one 35 kV line.
A calculation was made of the total electric field created by all the power lines, and it was shown that in the settlement of Komini, at the points where the 400 kV line crosses the existing 110 kV and 35 kV lines, the field strength is lower than it would be if only the 400 kV line were present," explained Ostojić.
He stated that, despite the fact that the electric and magnetic field strengths below and beside the power lines in the settlement of Komini are lower than the values prescribed by the Regulation, it is by no means pleasant to live in the immediate vicinity of so many power lines and a distribution substation.
"For that reason, I believe that an adequate and acceptable agreement should be reached with the residents of that part of the settlement," believes Ostojić.
The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism announced that the Government, at its meeting on 15 April 2010, the Government, at its meeting on 15 April 2010, adopted a Decision on initiating the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the 400 kV transmission line corridor with an optical cable from the Montenegrin coast to Pljevlja, and the 500 kV submarine cable with an optical cable Italy–Montenegro,"Based on the public procurement procedure conducted, the Ministry has made a decision on the award of the contract. The contract was concluded between that government department and the Republic Institute for Urbanism and Design," the Ministry said.
Based on contractual obligations and the legally prescribed procedure, the processor proceeded to prepare these documents.
"The planning basis for the preparation of the DPP for the power line corridor from the Montenegrin coast to Pljevlja and the submarine cable with an optical fibre Italy–Montenegro, is the Spatial Plan of Montenegro (SPM) until 2020. year, which was adopted in March 2008, and the Energy Strategy of Montenegro," said the Ministry's representatives.
They added that, according to the PPCG in the spatial concept for the development of energy infrastructure, a 400 kV substation is planned in the Montenegro coastal region, which would be connected by a 400 kV transmission line, and the prerequisites would be created for the realisation of the project to connect the transmission systems of Montenegro and Italy by an underground cable.
