Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) plans to build the “Kapino polje B2” solar power plant in Nikšić, covering an area of 459,000 square meters between Štedi and Studenac, with 64,800 solar panels planned for installation.
This project is part of a larger complex including four solar plants (“B1,” “B2,” “L1,” and “L2”), with a total estimated value of around €35.1 million. The “Kapino polje B2” plant will have a maximum installed capacity of 37.6 megawatts (MW) and is expected to generate 52.81 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity in its first year. The site is located between the Moštanica River and the Zeta canal and is connected to the Nikšić–Vilusi highway and a local road to Riđani.
EPCG has submitted documentation to the Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report is required. The agency previously decided that such a report is mandatory for the “Kapino polje B1” solar plant.
The project includes construction of access and service roads and fire truck access routes. No cultural or archaeological sites or existing infrastructure are registered at the location, but the plant will significantly alter the visual landscape.
The land is owned by EPCG, acquired during the construction of Slano and Vrtačko lakes, and the project received urban-technical approval in March.
However, the Center for Protection and Study of Birds (CZIP) recently opposed the construction, claiming EPCG began work on the solar plants without the legally required environmental consent, as the EIA report has not yet been submitted.
CZIP argues that Kapino polje is unsuitable for such energy projects due to numerous spatial, ecological, and legal reasons. According to their analysis, the area is a conflict zone for energy infrastructure because of its high environmental sensitivity. This is supported by the local biodiversity action plan for Nikšić (2024–2029), which identifies Kapino polje as a potential Ramsar site and future Natura 2000 protected area.
CZIP has called on EPCG to abandon the project and urged the Ministries of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Northern Development, and Spatial Planning to intervene promptly.
