The Montenegrin Ministry of Energy has prepared a draft National Energy and Climate Plan, which has been submitted to the Energy Community (EnC) for review. The plan outlines the intention to shut down the coal-fired thermal power plant Pljevlja by 2041.

Energy Minister Sasa Mujovic stated that Montenegro has requested understanding from the EnC regarding the country’s inability to meet the 2030 targets set for it. Achieving the goals in the plan would require an investment of 1.1 billion euros, a significant sum for Montenegro. Due to this, the government has emphasized that meeting the 2030 deadline is unrealistic.

In early October, Artur Lorkowski, Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, informed the Ministry that the Energy Community Ministerial Council’s decision from December 2022, which defined Montenegro’s national energy and climate targets for 2030, would be reconsidered.

Under the draft plan, Montenegro must reduce its CO2 emissions to 2,400 tons, which would require implementing strict measures in the electricity and transport sectors. These measures include building additional renewable energy power plants, promoting electric vehicles, modernizing public transport and mandating the use of biofuels, according to Minister Mujovic.