The construction of a new over two-kilometer-long riverbed for the Ćehotina River, valued at over €16 million, is a crucial project for the continued operation of the Pljevlja Coal Mine. The company aims to complete the complex work by November to ensure sufficient coal supplies for the Pljevlja thermal power plant in the coming years.
The current riverbed relocation, the second since 2008, is essential for enabling long-term coal extraction at the Potrlica open-pit mine and ensuring stable operation of the power plant, the largest energy consumer in the area.
Nemanja Laković, the mine’s executive director, stated that if the relocation is not completed this year, mining operations and the power plant would have to stop, causing catastrophic effects on the energy system. Work proceeds in three shifts with good progress, targeting completion by November, weather permitting.
The project’s cost of approximately €16.2 million is fully financed by the mine, which secured a favorable investment loan in coordination with the national power company.
Besides financial and operational benefits, the river relocation, combined with ecological reconstruction of the power plant, is expected to deliver significant environmental improvements for the Pljevlja municipality, one of the most polluted areas in the country.
