Legal case remains open for Pljevlja plant
Montenegro faces a possible finding of non-compliance with Energy Community rules because the legal case concerning the ageing Pljevlja coal-fired power plant remains open. Adam Cwetsch, the head of the Decarbonisation and Governance Unit at the Energy Community Secretariat, told BIRN that the Pljevlja power plant has already exceeded the limit that was given to the power plant, which was 20,000 working hours. The facility remains a major challenge to the green transition in Montenegro despite the implementation of a major environmental upgrade. The Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant, which was commissioned in 1982, operates as the only coal-fired power station in the country. This specific plant exceeded its permitted limit of 20,000 operating hours in December 2020, an event that triggered infringement proceedings under the Energy Community Treaty.
Violations of operating hour limits
The infringement proceedings under the Energy Community Treaty stem from the fact that the Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant exceeded its permitted operating hours in December 2020. Adam Cwetsch said in an interview that the case concerning the plant’s breach of its permitted operating hours remains open.
| Plant Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Commission Year | 1982 |
| Permitted Operating Limit | 20,000 hours |
| Date of Violation | December 2020 |
The Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant is the only coal-fired power station in Montenegro. The facility’s breach of its permitted limit of 20,000 operating hours in December 2020 remains the central reason that infringement proceedings under the Energy Community Treaty were triggered against the country. The plant exceeded its limit in December 2020. Adam Cwetsch told BIRN that "Pljevlja power plant has already exceeded the limit that was given to the power plant, which was 20,000 working hours," and its status remains a challenge to the green transition. This breach of the 20,000 working hours limit is a major challenge. Even though the facility underwent a major environmental upgrade, the infringement proceedings regarding the exceeded operating hours remain active. The Energy Community Secretariat continues to manage the case because the plant’s breach of its permitted operating hours is not yet resolved. The plant’s violation of its 20,000 working hour limit remains the primary reason for the ongoing infringement proceedings in Montenegro today.
