HPP "Piva": The Contract on Reconstruction Has Been Signed

The Contract which will be funded by KfW bank in the amount of 8.5 million EUR and EPCG was signed by Igor Noveljić, CEO of EPCG, Damjan Kolenko, the director of Integration Department of Litostroj and Danilo Moresco, the general manager of ABB.

Igor Noveljić, CEO of EPCG, said that the hydropower plant will obtain modern hydro-mechanical and electrical equipment for all the three units, auxiliary facilities and most modern control system at the plant's level which will ensure automatic control of all the units and facilities from the central control room.

'In addition to the achievement of main objectives pertaining to the project implementation such as extension of the plant's lifetime by another 40 years, high operating readiness and safety of the plant will be ensured. Provision of the so-called auxiliary and system services will result in generation of additional income for the Company, which amounted to more than two million Euros during last two years', said Noveljić.

Damjan Kolenko, the director of Integration Department of Litostroj, said that they have been tasked with delivering mechanical equipment, hydraulic system and control, as well as with delivering the secondary equipment.

'The trial operation has been envisaged upon completion of works, when we will be present. Then comes the period of operation, and everything should be as prescribed by the protocol', said Kolenko.

He said that Litostroj had delivered the equipment to HPP Piva in 1976, it has been working very well for 40 years and it has been well maintained.

'This new contract means reconstruction of the plant and we hope that the equipment could be exploited during next 30-40 years, as envisaged by the project', said Kolenko.

Danilo Moresco, the general manager of ABB, said that ABB Company is technological partner which maintains energy transformation in Montenegro.

'Montenegro is part of our region of Southern Europe. Our intention is to grow here, invest every year more than 5% in the development so as to obtain the product compliant with expectations of our users', said Moresco.

He said that this company would continue to invest in the infrastructure so that they support such plans in the future.

'This is an opportunity to thank EPCG for its cooperation. There will be many opportunities to monitor the project development, from the contractor's point of view. We will monitor works every two months, together with the client and our partner Litostroj, which will ensure the project monitoring and enable its successfulness', said Moresco.

The mentioned modernization and reconstruction will be implemented during the following three years and it will provide training for both team members as well as for colleagues from other parts of EPCG who will provide support during the upcoming period.    

The project on reconstruction of HPP Piva is included in the Energy Development Strategy of Montenegro by 2030, as one of the projects from the selected group of projects which is aimed, among others, at increasing energy efficiency of the existing generating, transmission and distribution facilities.