National Power Company of Montenegro (EPCG) has no reliable data on the economic viability of the project of construction of the Second block of the Thermal Power Plant in Pljevlja, presented at a round table of MANS and Green Home dedicated to economic and environmental challenges of the project of the Second block, which on Monday was held in Podgorica.
Representatives of EPCG continues to argue that the costs of the project are only those associated with the construction of the Second block and the purchase of equipment, but not the whole range of related investments such as the opening of new mines, the cost of re-cultivation, opening new ash and slag dumps and ore landfills through costs of reconstruction of the First block and the Second block after 25 years of work, through the costs to health and environmental protection.
Complete arguments at a round table representatives of EPCG are made based on the latest manipulations, which now differ even from data provided by the Government of Montenegro previously announced in its official documents. So now from EPCG claim that the costs of opening new mines, which are necessary for the operation of the Second block will amount to 73 million euros, even though those same costs in Government information from mid-2013, which refers to the project of the Second block, were shown in the amount of 145 million euros.
In addition, at a round table representatives of EPCG announced that the costs of re-cultivation of the coal mines for 40 years of operation of the Second block will amount to a ridiculous five million euros, although the coal mine itself back in 2010 showed that the cost of re-cultivation per tonne of coal is 1.17 euros, so it is clear that the projection of 70 million tons of coal, the amount that is intended to be spend for the operation of teh Power Plant, will amount to 85 million euros.
From energy company majority owned by the state now claim that the reconstruction of the First block would cost 40 million euros, although the Government in recently adopted action plan for energy development strategy until 2030, stated the sum of 65 million. At the same time in official documents of the Municipality Pljevlja, which refers to data from EPCG, is stated a sum of 100 million for the revitalization of the First block.
Also, from EPCG claimed that the cost of carbon dioxide calculated in the price of electricity for the future block, although until today it is not known model that the European Union will apply when it comes to this issue. Non-governmental organization Bankwatch earlier a minimum amount of that cost estimated at 264 million euros, which will unquestionably be the cost of electricity bills of Montenegrin citizens.
In addition, comparison of the investment of the Second block of the Thermal Power Plant with the purchase of cars by the representatives of EPCG is at least scandalous and represents not only humiliation of the citizens of the Municipality of Pljevlja that will be poisoned by the Second block and who will die prematurely because of it, but also and all Montenegrin citizens who would economically unprofitable investment pay through higher electricity bills and state aid.
Citizens still do not have three basic key information when it comes to the Second block – how much everything will cost, who will pay and whether the project will be implemented with the help of the state, then is it made a study of the impact on health and if is made what does it say, and finally – what are the costs of health and environmental impact and how much will it all cost us.
It is obvious that representatives of EPCG with latest manipulations and offensive vocabulary are trying to conceal the fact that the project of the Second block of high-risk, both for the public finances and for health and the environment. Instead of cheap exposure, inappropriate vocabulary and manipulation, from EPCG are required to offer to the publicly serious and reliable information on the economic viability of the Second block and its impact on health.
MANS
