As of June 2025, over €44.5 million has been spent on the ecological reconstruction of Montenegro’s Pljevlja Thermal Power Plant (TPP Pljevlja) out of the nearly €58 million contracted, according to bank statements and payment orders obtained by the Action for Social Justice (ASP).
The plant was shut down in early April for final reconstruction works, scheduled to be completed by mid-November, with full restart and “cold testing” planned through mid-February 2026. A two-month period for error correction will follow, and the final handover certificate is expected by mid-2028.
The project, implemented on a turnkey basis, was awarded in 2020 to a consortium led by Chinese company Dec International alongside local firms Bemax, BB Solar, and Permonte. Initial advances and yearly payments have been made, with the contract value later amended in February 2025 to include an additional €3.5 million for unforeseen necessary works, keeping the increase below 20% of the original contract.
Construction and equipment installation are scheduled from April 2022 to October 2025 and March to October 2023, respectively. Separate contracts cover boiler adaptation (€15 million) and works for Pljevlja’s district heating system.
While EPCG emphasizes the strategic importance of these upgrades, some public observers question the value of the investment amid uncertainty over the future of coal power and evolving EU environmental regulations.
