For 480 million euros, we can have both electricity and nature — we don’t have to choose destruction. The Komarnica Hydropower Plant would produce about 1% of Montenegro’s total electricity on the day it starts operating, but its construction would destroy the river and all living beings in it. The costs of this project have been steadily rising:
2012: 183 million EUR 2020: 246 million EUR 2023: 343 million EUR
Independent experts estimate that the final price could reach as high as 480 million euros! For the same money, we could generate at least three times more energy from renewable sources — solar and wind. There are numerous alternative solutions that produce more energy with far less environmental impact. These conclusions came from a public forum organised by the Montenegrin Ecologists Society and the Save Komarnica initiative, featuring speakers Andrijana Mićanović, Vuk Iković, Vuk Vujisić, and Milan Niković. The moderator was Danijel Garić.
Andrijana Mićanović emphasized the importance of preserving natural resources and concluded that Komarnica is not just a river — it is a symbol of what Montenegro is and can be. She also pointed out numerous violations of national and international regulations during the planning of this project.
Electrical engineer Milan Niković reaffirmed that hybrid solar and wind power plants are a better solution — for 480 million euros, we can generate at least three times more electricity. He mentioned specific alternatives: the Gvozd and Brajići wind farms, solar power plants, and the modernisation of the Perućica hydropower plant. He added that the Komarnica plant would produce seven times less electricity than the Pljevlja thermal power plant, meaning it cannot replace it.
Vuk Iković raised a crucial question: who actually profits — Montenegro or Serbia?
“Montenegro invests 51% of the funds and loses the river, while Serbia invests 49%. Whose interests are we sacrificing such a natural resource for?”
He proposed that in the announced projects, such as the “Malinsko” and “Duži” solar plants and the “Bijela” wind farm, an agreement be made with investors so that 10% of the produced energy goes to the Šavnik municipality. That energy would be used for developing small businesses and agricultural farms — a direct benefit for the local community.
He also stressed that the Komarnica Hydropower Plant cannot achieve such an effect, especially considering that in the municipalities of Plužine and Šavnik, there are no electrical or mechanical engineers registered with employment offices to form the basic staff to manage the plant. He concluded: “None of you would invest in such a power plant if you were the owners of the Electric Power Industry, but apparently it’s easy for them to manage our money.”
Civic activist Vuk Vujisić said we are at a choice — past or future. Will we build plants for green hydrogen combined with solar and wind, or will we continue with outdated and expensive projects that produce little energy? By starting green hydrogen plants, we could use all the excess electricity for hydrogen production, which can then be used for many purposes, such as fuel for public transport buses.
Andrijana Mićanović highlighted the importance of preserving natural beauty for tourism development: “Tourists don’t come to see concrete dams but wild rivers, springs, waterfalls, and cascades.”
Vuk Iković warned that this project is both economically and ecologically unsustainable — it would start working in about 10 years, and the payback period would be around 19 years at current electricity prices. That is why we need solar and wind energy, which can be stored.
At the end, Andrijana Mićanović called for an initiative to include Komarnica in the Durmitor National Park and for its canyon to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Komarnica is not just a river — it is a symbol of Montenegro’s identity and potential.
In times of climate change, the struggle for energy independence, and nature conservation, the choice we make today determines our country’s future. If we are truly proud of the title of an ecological state, it is time to prove it — not by building concrete dams, but by preserving what makes us special.
Komarnica must remain a free river.
Montenegro can be energy independent by investing in modern and sustainable energy sources.
Public debate: “Is It Worth Sacrificing Komarnica for 1% of Our Electricity?”
Organised by the Montenegrin Ecologists Society and the Save Komarnica initiative with support from EuroNatur within the initiative Save the Blue Heart of Europe.
Montenegrin Ecologists Society Save Komarnica
