History
We published our history in monography "100 years of EPCG"
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100 YEARS OF EPCGTake a look here |
Electrification of Montenegro began with the first decade of the 20th century. Tradition almost one century long commenced only 28 years after construction of the first hydro power plant in the World which was built in New York by the famous American inventor T. A. Edison. This project made Montenegro one of then rare countries in the Europe and in the World whose few towns were illuminated by electricity.
Everything began on August 19th, 1910 on the occasion of crowning of Nikola I Petrovic, on Cetinje, when the first power plant in Montenegro was put into operation. Nowadays, that power plant would be defined as a small hydro power plant, with two diesel engines, of 110 kW capacity. Over the years its capacity was increased to 220 kV. Electricity produced in the power plant was used for lighting in the Court, Zetski dom, main street and several houses of distinguished Montenegrins. Power plant was in operation for 50 years, 450,000 hours of operation without break, 12 years without any failure. The power plant was built and equipped by at that time notable company of Emanuel Kraus from Trieste. Building and installations of „Electricity Company of Montenegro“, which is how the power plant was then called, were preserved and because of their extreme importance they were placed under protection of the law as a cultural monument. On November 13, 1976 they were converted into a museum of EPCG, with a proposal to grow into a Technical Museum of Montenegro. Today, a day when the power plant was first put into operation, is celebrated as a Day of EPCG AD Niksic.
Soon after putting the power plant in Cetinje into operation, some other power plants were built in Montenegro and other towns and citizens of Montenegro began to enjoy benefits of electricity.
With construction of hydro power plants which are today called “small” or distributive, the first phase of development of the power system of Montenegro was completed and the second one commenced. In the year 1937, HPP „Podgor“ was built in the vicinity of Cetinje, with 250 kW capacity and it still generates electricity. After this one, the following hydro power plants were built: "Rijeka Musovica" in 1950, with 1.36 MW (1360 kW) capacity, "Slap Zete" in 1952, 1.2 MW and with annual generation of 6000 GWh, "Rijeka Crnojevica", also in 1952, with 754 kW (at the time when it was first put into operation it had only 160 kW) and "Glava Zete" in 1955, with 4.5 MW capacity, the only one completely placed underground. Today, two small hydro power plants are also in operation: "Lijeva Rijeka" and "Savnik", and total capacity of small hydro power plants is 8.5 MW.
The third phase of development began with construction of big hydro power plant HPP "Perucica" which was put into operation after completion of the first phase of its construction, in 1960. After finalisation of the second and third phase of construction of this hydro power plant, Montenegro generated significant surplus of electricity. In the year 1976 another big hydro power plant "Piva" was built, with the highest dam on the Balkans, i.e. one of highest in the Europe (220 m), then in 1982 TPP "Pljevlja" was built. This was the last built generating unit belonging to this Elektroprivreda Crne Gore.
Besides from generating plants Elektroprivreda Crne Gore owns considerable electricity network at different voltage levels, with overhead lines, transformer stations and other facilities, as well as dispersed distribution network reaching all inhabited areas of Montenegro. Development of distribution and transmission networks accompanied development and enhancement of generating plants.
