The new announcement by the Government of Montenegro regarding the planned construction of a solar power plant on Briska Gora, with a capacity five times greater than the planned 50 MW as defined by the spatial-planning documentation, raises serious concerns among nature protection experts and local communities, as Briska Gora is part of the wider Bojana Delta area, which is recognized as a key biodiversity area (KBA).
The current spatial-urban plan for the municipality of Ulcinj recommends an area of 467 hectares of land, within 8 locations, for the construction of facilities for the exploitation of solar energy. With the amendments to the spatial-urban plan of Ulcinj, the construction zone was expanded to forest areas, and its total area now amounts to 1,019 hectares.
In September this year, the decision to lease land on Briska Gora for the construction of a 285 MW solar power plant was suspended based on the Law on State Administration and the specific details of the administrative procedure. The new announcement by the Government of Montenegro on the construction of a solar power plant on Briska Gora focuses only on the valorization of this area for energy production while completely neglecting its ecological significance.
The construction of a solar power plant with a capacity that is five times greater than that planned by the spatial-urban plan for the municipality of Ulcinj would undoubtedly lead to serious and irreversible negative consequences on natural values of this area, including the destruction of landscape values, deforestation, and impacts on birds and other species.
Unfortunately, a baseline assessment of biodiversity study has not been conducted for the planned project on Briska Gora, which would provide insight into the current state and number of present species, ecosystems, and habitats. Therefore, the project for the construction of a solar power plant on Briska Gora must follow the implementation of a detailed ecological study, transparency, and public involvement, as well as consideration of alternative locations, because Briska Gora deserves special attention due to its exceptional ecological and cultural significance.
As a reminder, Briska Gora is a unique landscape, located in close proximity to Lake Šas, which meets the criteria of an internationally important wetland habitat under the Ramsar Convention; it is also close to the Ulcinj Salina Nature Park, which is a protected area on both national and international levels as a Ramsar site, and represents a habitat of international importance for birds (IBA). The site itself has cultural and historical significance, while archaeological research has not been conducted yet.
Montenegro’s transition from fossil to renewable energy sources is undoubtedly one of the priorities to meet national decarbonization goals. However, it is extremely important that renewable energy projects go in line with the principles of nature protection. Although it is necessary to increase the utilization of solar potential, the construction of energy facilities must be sustainable and environmentally friendly. If the project is carried out inadequately, if the wrong location is chosen, or if the project design is inadequate, these projects can be counterproductive. On the one hand, they will provide benefits through energy production, but on the other hand, they can irreversibly degrade unique localities such as Briska Gora, which is part of the KBA Bojana Delta and represents a unique landscape.
