Due to a massive increase in energy prices on global markets, some Montenegrin privileged producers of electricity from renewable sources (RES), owners of small hydroelectric power plants (MHP), wind power plants (VE) and solar power plants (SE) will most likely leave the incentive system and sell energy on the international market if the purchase price doesn’t increase, the owner of the company ‘Igma Energy’ from Andrijevica, Igor Masovic, told Pobjeda daily.
Mr Marovic is the owner of two and co-owner of eight small hydro power plants in Montenegro. In the incentive system, there are 39 sources of electrical energy, namely two wind power plants – Krnovo and Mozura, 32 mHP and five solar power plants, with a total installed power of 167 megawatts, which is, for example, more than half of HPP Perucica, with an installed power of 307 megawatts.
“We’ll try to reach an agreement with the Montenegrin Electricity Market Operator (COTEE) and the Montenegrin Electric Enterprise (EPCG). If they don’t show understanding and if we don’t find an acceptable agreement for both sides, we have no other option but to leave the incentive system and do the trading in the market,” Mr Masovic told Pobjeda.
He added that this agreement would imply a higher purchase price of electricity.
“The current purchase price is significantly lower than the market price, so we believe that there’s plenty of room to increase it, which would certainly be significantly lower than the price the EPCG is paying on the market.”
He also believes that all companies owning wind power plants, small hydropower plants and solar power plants will leave the incentive system if they don’t reach the agreement and if the purchase price is not increased, bearing in mind that it will be difficult for electricity prices to return to the level of a few years ago.
“I think we’re all going to sell it on the market because there’s no reason to be called out as doing business at the expense of the state while we’re selling the electricity at several times lower prices than the market ones.”
He also claims that to date, they haven’t been invited by neither the government, nor COTEE nor EPCG to discuss the matter and eventually increase the purchase price. “There were some unofficial talks, but we haven’t had any official discussion or contact.”
