EPCG Aims to Link Two Lakes to Boost Production at HPP “Perućica”

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        <p>Connecting the Nikšić lakes via a tunnel and channels: Project, Photo: Elaborat &quot;Medix&quot;</p>
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    <p>The Electric Power Company (EPCG) aims to construct over 2.3 kilometers of tunnels and canals linking Krupačko and Slano Lakes in Nikšić. This initiative seeks to better harness surplus water, minimize losses, and enhance electricity generation at the Perućica Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). The project is estimated at approximately €10.5 million, with a projected construction timeline of three years.</p>

    <p>The primary objective of this infrastructure is to maximize water usage from the Krupac catchment area, which frequently overflows and is wasted in the Vrtac retention basin, while also addressing the untapped potential at the Salt Lake.</p>

    <p>This information was officially conveyed to "Vijesti" by the state-owned EPCG.</p>

    <p>"No bids were received for the contractor selection tender opened on March 24, 2025, prompting a repeat of the procedure. The estimated project valuation stands at €10,500,000, with a planned execution period of 36 months (considering that work can only proceed at lower reservoir levels). Currently, approximately 29 gigawatt hours per year overflow, which will be accessible post-reservoir connectivity. The Krupac reservoir has a capacity of 42 million cubic meters, while the Slano reservoir holds 111 million cubic meters. To facilitate the connection of the reservoirs, a supply channel approximately 450 meters long will be constructed on the Krupac reservoir side, specifically at the sinkhole area known as Krupačka jama; an entrance structure with a lock and command building is also planned for this location; along with a tunnel measuring 1,270 meters in length running north-south from Krupačka jama to Kuside; a 570-meter drainage channel will connect the tunnel exit to the Slano reservoir," EPCG stated, highlighting that access roads will be established and part of the old Trebinje - Nikšić road will be relocated in Kuside.</p>

    <p>The project is set to take place at the exit from Nikšić, specifically in the Crnodoli and Kuside areas. The entrance channel will be at Krupac, in the Krupačka jama, linking to the tunnel which will run beneath the main road Nikšić - Vilusi and terminate at an exit portal on the Salt Lake's shore. The project covers an area of approximately 25,000 square meters. This initiative is expected to alleviate the recurrent flooding of the Zeta River and boost the Perućica HPP's installed capacity from 307 to 365.5 megawatts.</p>

    <p>EPCG mentioned that they submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment Study for this endeavor to the Environmental Protection Agency in May of last year, receiving initial feedback from the Evaluation Commission, which led to amendments. The revised Study was resubmitted late last year, receiving approval from the Agency in March of this year.</p>

    <p>The Study indicates that linking Krupac and Slano will mitigate water level fluctuations in both reservoirs, operating under the principle of interconnected vessels, whereby water that overflows the dam will be managed and redirected to Slano, preventing loss in the sinkholes within the Vrtac retention. The tunnel is planned to be about four meters wide, and the channels will be up to five meters wide.</p>

    <p>It further notes that the most sensitive area is the Poklonci spring, which emerges from the northeastern part of Krupačko Lake, and is in direct hydraulic connection.</p>

    <p>Though the water source lies approximately 2.7 kilometers from the project, an increase in Krupac's water level could enhance the yield from the spring's wells, and vice versa. The project is designed to avoid impacting the Poklonci source, as only excess water from Krupac will be diverted, specifically when it reaches the maximum water level.</p>

    <p>This region is largely uninhabited, though there is one house near the beginning of the supply channel leading to the Krupac-Slano tunnel. Typical construction-related pollution is anticipated during the project. "There are no protected zones as defined by the Nature Protection Act within the project site. Furthermore, there are no sites of historical, cultural, or archaeological significance nearby. No rare plant species have been identified in the area whose populations would be adversely affected by the project," the documentation states, noting that mining activities may occur during tunnel construction.</p>

    <p>The government approved the urban planning and technical conditions for this project during a session in late September 2022.</p>

    <h2>Perućica has been operational since 1960.</h2>

    <p>Krupačko and Slano Lakes were created by damming the Moštanica and Opačica rivers, rendering the entire Nikšić field an artificial ecosystem.</p>

    <p>The Study reveals that Krupačko Lake has a surface area of 5.7 square kilometers, a depth of 12 meters, and a dam measuring nearly 1.5 kilometers long. Its water sources include the Poklonci, Žapica, Krupačko oko, and Zmijanac springs, and it serves as a city beach during summer.</p>

    <p>Salt Lake, spanning nine square kilometers with a dam measuring 1,663 meters, was established in 1950 to meet the demands of the Perućica hydroelectric power plant, along with Krupac and Vrtac lakes. Earlier smaller lakes were submerged, resulting in the formation of these three interconnected lakes through channels.</p>

    <p>"Operational since 1960, the Perućica HPP reached its current level of capacity in 1976, reliant on the water potential from the Upper Zeta basin and the elevation difference of over 500 meters between the Nikšić Field and Bjelopavlić Plain. Presently, fully capitalizing on the abundant water and significant drop in energy cannot be achieved due to complex geological challenges and insufficient storage capacity," the documentation concludes.</p>

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