The 7th Conference of the Montenegrin Committee of the International Council on Large Electric Systems was ceremonially opened last night at the Mediteran Hotel in Bečići. This year’s CIGRE conference has brought together around 250 prominent experts from Montenegro and the region, who will present 48 scientific papers across 14 study committees.
Debates on the future of Montenegro’s energy sector are also planned, and this year once again features an exhibition of energy equipment, products, instruments, services and software from renowned domestic and international manufacturers.
Engineers from the Montenegrin Electricity Distribution System are actively participating in the work of CIGRE, where over the next two days they will contribute to the development and strengthening of the energy profession in Montenegro by presenting their scientific papers.
This year’s CIGRE conference runs from 28 to 30 September and was officially opened by Mladen Bojanić, Minister of Capital Investments in the Government of Montenegro. He recalled that the Ministry of Capital Investments, as the body responsible for drafting the energy and climate strategy, is doing everything possible to involve experts as fully as possible in the preparation of strategic documents, noting that this is one of the reasons for signing a memorandum of cooperation with the University of Montenegro.
“We need expertise and as many experts as possible to help us prepare strategic documents and laws, so that we can help the economy find the right solutions to the challenges ahead. In this regard, I expect you to help us find high-quality, long-term solutions in the energy sector that are in line with new trends and the energy transition based on green energy and renewable sources,” Minister Bojanić told the conference participants.
The participants of the 7th Conference were also wished productive work and a useful exchange of experience by Nebojša Petrović, representative of the CIGRE Regional Committee for Southeast Europe and President of the CIGRE Committee of Serbia, and Predrag Mijajlović, President of the Montenegrin CIGRE Committee, who noted that this is a year of major anniversaries: 100 years of CIGRE worldwide and 70 years of CIGRE in Montenegro.
“This year, the conference programme will once again address interesting topics, and we will have the opportunity to see some new solutions and discuss the future of the energy sector in Montenegro, with critical perspectives on various issues. The Montenegrin CIGRE Committee not only upholds the high standards of the energy profession, but also teaches our young people to respect the diversity of this cultural and historical region, as well as collegiality and mutual respect. It is our wish and obligation to pass this on to young people through CIGRE,” Mijajlović emphasised.
Milutin Đukanović, President of the Board of Directors of EPCG, recalled that no electricity generation source had been built in Montenegro in the previous forty years, but that major projects were ahead for EPCG, some of which have already been launched. He announced that a public call for citizens would be issued next week as part of the Solari 3000+ and Solari 500+ projects, which, as he said, initially appeared to be energy-neutral but will prove highly profitable from an energy perspective, given the current trend in electricity prices on the stock exchange, and will bring enormous benefits to the citizens of Montenegro.
“At Elektroprivreda Crne Gore, we see the current energy transition as a major opportunity to stimulate economic activity and accelerate the country’s economic growth. Regardless of how quickly this is progressing and the unforeseen circumstances that arise, success requires us to work and build new facilities for generating electricity from renewable sources. That is the only safe and winning combination,” Milutin Đukanović told participants at the ceremonial opening of the 7th Conference of the Montenegrin CIGRE Committee last night.
As is customary, awards and certificates of appreciation were presented at this year’s 7th CIGRE Conference to those who have made a major contribution to the development of CIGRE in Montenegro and to the energy sector as a whole.
In the year when the International CIGRE Committee, headquartered in Paris, marks its centenary and CIGRE in Montenegro celebrates 70 years of existence, the CG CIGRE Committee Board awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to Jadranka Radović, a distinguished expert and retired professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Montenegro.
Certificates of appreciation were presented to representatives of the companies sponsoring and supporting this year’s conference. Plaques in recognition of many years of continuous work organising and promoting the Montenegrin CIGRE Committee were awarded to Momir Grbović, Milica Deretić and Snežana Stanković; the plaque for long-standing, consistently outstanding professional work for the CG CIGRE Committee was awarded to Vlajko Jauković and Borislav Brnjada; and plaques in recognition of long-standing cooperation and contributions to the development of the CG CIGRE Committee were awarded to Snežana Ivanović and Blagota Novosel, as well as Slavka Marković, Ranko Vukotić and Dragutin Martinović.
This year’s conference is sponsored by General Electric Grid Solutions – Belgrade, Elnos Group – Banja Luka, and, for the first time, Terna Crna Gora.
