Montenegro's Krnovo Green Energy has marked the official start
of construction works on the 72 MW Krnovo wind power plant (WPP) with an
estimated investment value of 120 million euro ($134.8 million), local media
reported on Friday.
The consortium of France's Akuo and Austria's Ivicom
has been awarded a permit to build the Krnovo wind park, Montenegro's economy
ministry said earlier.
Krnovo Green Energy is a special purpose vehicle
established for the sole purpose of construction and operation of the project,
which is expected to be Montenegro’s first utility-scale wind farm.
The
actual works will start during next week, depending on the weather conditions,
news daily Pobjeda reported, quoting a source from the country's economy
ministry.
According to the land lease contract, the works should last for
18 months from the moment they begin.
In December, the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development said it was considering providing a senior loan
of up to 47.5 million euro to Krnovo Green Energy to help finance the WPP
project.
Krnovo is located 28 kilometres northeast of the city of
Niksic.