Montenegro’s national electricity company, EPCG, has revived its battery-storage ambitions only weeks after a major tender collapsed, signalling that the utility remains committed to modernising the country’s energy infrastructure despite procurement setbacks. The company has announced a scaled-down project valued at €75,000—tiny compared to the scrapped €5.8 million tender, yet strategically important because it keeps EPCG’s energy-storage agenda moving forward.
Battery storage has become a crucial component in modern energy systems, allowing countries to balance intermittent renewable energy sources while improving grid stability. Montenegro, with growing investment in solar power and its long-established hydropower fleet, faces increasing pressure to diversify its flexibility mechanisms. Without storage, fluctuations in renewable output can strain the grid, reduce efficiency and increase reliance on imports during peak demand.
EPCG’s original tender aimed to procure significant storage capacity but was cancelled after procedural complications and lack of qualifying bids. The setback raised concerns about Montenegro’s readiness to deploy advanced grid technologies, especially as neighbouring countries accelerate energy-transition investments. However, the new smaller-scale tender suggests EPCG is taking a phased approach, focusing first on pilot installations, system integration testing and technical preparation. Although small in value, the tender is strategically aligned with the broader transition toward a more resilient and flexible national grid.
Industry observers note that the tender redesign reflects a practical recognition of market dynamics. Energy-storage technology has become more complex and capital intensive, and few regional companies possess the expertise required for large-scale deployments. EPCG’s decision to focus initially on smaller systems allows the utility to refine technical specifications, build internal capacity and prepare for future larger procurements with more robust market interest.
The timing coincides with Montenegro’s broader decarbonisation goals and its ambition to expand renewable-energy projects. Solar developments in the central and northern regions are progressing, and EPCG itself has been exploring rooftop PV, hydropower rehabilitation and floating-solar concepts. Storage is essential to ensuring these projects deliver stable value.
Despite its modest size, the new tender also signals to international partners—from the EBRD to EU-based energy investors—that EPCG is still committed to innovation. If the pilot proves successful, Montenegro could position itself as a regional testbed for advanced grid-balancing technologies. For now, EPCG’s persistence keeps the country’s energy-transition trajectory intact, even if progress comes in smaller steps than originally planned.
