Functional Unit Generation

Any electric power system’s strenght lies in efficiency and capacities of its generating plants.

Today when demand for energy fuels in the world is increasing every day, it is often that one hears an opinion that electricity generation is essential not only for stability of an electric power system, but is also a precondition for industrial and economic growth. Electric power systems are first of all expected to provide enough electricity, which becomes quite a demanding task.

EPCG’s Functional Unit Generation manages, controls and plans generating units. Our operational results have a direct impact over operation and development opportunities of all other segments in our electric power system. We are the basis from which the whole system feeds with power and when most needed we achieve a maximum. When there is not enough electricity generated we all feel the consequences – the Company itself as well as end customers.

We have a total of 869 employees.

Our functional unit comprises of four organisational units:

• Generation Head Office,
• Hydro power plant „Perucica“ with seven small scale hydro power plants,
• Hydro power plant „Piva“,
• Thermal power plant „Pljevlja“.

Planning is a prerequisite for a high quality operation. Because of that reason the Head Office produces annual generation plan, monitors implementation of maintenance plans which are based on individual plans of generating units. All this work is done after comprehensive analyses and testings as required for a generation process are performed, and after preparation and implementation of reconstruction, rehabilitation and modernisation projects in power plants.

In our electric power system electricity is generated in hydro power plant „Piva“, hydro power plant „Perucica” and thermal power plant „Pljevlja“. Total installed generating capacity of power plants is 868 MW, whereof 685 MW or 76% comes from hydro power plants and 210 MW or 24% comes from the thermal power plant.

Our job entails prolongation of economic life of power plans, ensuring better operational reliability and increasing total energy output of generator sets.

Hydro power plant „Perucica“ is the oldest power plant in Montenegro operating under EPCG. It started operation in 1960. Its water reservoirs are located on the territory of the Municipality Nikšic: lakes Krupac, Slano and Vrtac. It has seven generator sets of a total installed capacity of 307 MW (maximum available power 285 MW). According to organisational structure of the Company, seven small scale hydro power plants belong to HPP “Perucica“ and they have 11 generator sets of installed capacity of 9,025 MW and total annual generation of 21,000,000 kWh. In the period 12.03.1960. - 31.12. 2010. HPP “Perucica“ generated 43.505.578 MWh of electricity, i.e. 853.050 MWh on average per year. During 2010 HPP "Perucica" produced 1.134.892 MWh, which is for 477.892 MWh or 49.94% more than planned,. Small HPP produced 28,86 GWh, which is for 7,86 GWh or 37.43% more than planned. The production was a record since the beginning of work, thanks to great hydrological situation.

Hydro power plant „Piva“ is a storage plant with one of the biggest arch dams in the World. It was built on the river Piva, at the foot of the mointain with a same name as the river, in the place called Mratinje. It started operation in 1976 and since the beginning of operation it has been operated in the electric power system of the Republic of Serbia in accordance with energy exchange arrangement, based on the Long-term Agreement on business-technical cooperation which was renewed in 1991 and will be in place over the period of 25 years. During plants’ operation, since its beginning, until the end of 2010„Piva“ generated 26,44 billion kWh of peaking power. Average annual generation is 755GWh. Record production of 1.286 GWh was made in 2010, which is 68,74% more than planned (762 GWh).

Thermal power plant „Pljevlja“ started operation in 1982 and has one generator set, with 210 MW nominal capacity. From the beginning until 31.12.2010 it produced 25.239,84GWh. In 2010 it produced 1.278,84GWh, which is 90,8% of planned production. The main reason of lower production to the one planned is optimization of production in EPCG. This power plant generates base load for the electric power system of Montenegro and it is a main source for meeting constant load diagram. TPP „Pljevlja“ significantly contributes stable operation of the electric power system. Currently preparation activities are underway with the aim that, after legal regulations in the field of environmental protection are harmonised with EU requirements, a full ecological sanitation by introducing modern renowned solutions is implemented. Rehabilitation of a boiler is also underway and after it is completed together with completion of modernisation of control and management system, conditions will be met to increase capacity of the power plant up to 225 MW.

Zoran Đukanović acting director Tel: +382 40 204 107 Fax: +382 40 212 171 e-mail:zoran.djukanovic@epcg.com	Mirko Kilibarda, dipl. građ. ing., director assistant Tel: +382 40 271 248 Fax: +382 40 271 252 e-mail: mirko.kilibarda@epcg.com