September 9, 2025
by in News

Serbia’s EPS plans to build 500 MW of wind farms with strategic partner

State-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) and the Government of Serbia plan to develop a 500 MW wind farm project with a strategic partner, according to Aleksandar Latinović, Head of Ancillary Services at EPS. He also noted that a 1,000 MW solar power project is expected to be online by 2029.

The Energy Infrastructure Development Plan and Energy Efficiency Measures for the period through 2028 envisage the construction of wind farms with a capacity of up to 500 MW.

The project could be similar to the 1,000 MW solar power project with 200 MW battery energy storage systems (BESS) that Serbia is implementing with strategic partners Hyundai Engineering and UGT Renewables (UGTR).

During the presentation of EPS’s development projects at the Korea-Serbia Strategic Energy Development Forum, held in Belgrade, Aleksandar Latinović recalled that the recently built Kostolac B3 power plant, as well as the pumped storage hydropower plant Bistrica, will provide energy to balance the system.

Tenders for two solar power plants are expected next year

Increasing the balancing reserve, in his words, is crucial for integrating new renewable energy sources into the power system. He particularly highlighted the Bistrica project, noting that it will have the same energy storage capacity as all currently existing BESSs in Europe. According to Latinović, the plant is expected to be operational by 2031 or 2032.

Latinović also recalled that EPS recently inaugurated Petka, its first solar power plant on a coal tailings dump. Though a small project, it is significant because EPS owns several thousand hectares of similar tailings and ash dumps.

The solar power plants Kolubara A (78 MW) and Morava (42 MW) are in the development phase, with tenders expected to be announced next year. Meanwhile, the Klenovnik project (110 MW) is undergoing a review of its preliminary feasibility study.

The 1 GW solar project is expected to be connected to the grid by 2029

Regarding wind energy, the 66 MW Kostolac wind farm is scheduled to begin trial operations next month.

For other wind farm projects, EPS and the Serbian government plan a 500 MW project with a strategic partner, he noted, stressing that EPS is willing to acquire already developed, construction-ready projects.

Latinović recalled that the preparation of a spatial plan for the 1 GW solar power project is underway. Strategic partners have already begun preparing investment and technical documentation, and a grid connection agreement with transmission system operator Elektromreža Srbije (EMS) has been signed.

A shortage of balancing energy could be an issue

According to the project timeline, this project will be operational and connected to the grid within four years, Latinović noted.

He stressed that integrating new renewable energy sources into the power system could lead to a shortage of balancing reserves. It is also possible, in his words, that there will be an excess of electricity when a significant amount of renewable energy is produced.

For this reason, EPS has initiated a study to analyze the use of hydrogen and heat storage.

The main focus of this study will be optimizing surplus electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources, increasing the system’s balancing reserve, replacing fuel oil in coal power plants with hydrogen-based fuel, and substituting gas and coal in heat production, Latinović explained.

Post Views:119
September 4, 2025
by in News

Serbia, South Korea’s KHNP to cooperate on nuclear energy, hydrogen

Serbia and South Korean company Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power have signed two memorandums of understanding on cooperation in the fields of nuclear energy and hydrogen.

The memorandums were signed by Sonja Vlahović, State Secretary at the Ministry of Mining and Energy, and Joo-ho Whang, President and CEO of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).

Notably, South Korean company Hyundai Engineering is part of Serbia’s largest renewable energy project—the deployment of 1,000 MW of solar power plants with battery storage.

The memorandums were signed during the Korea-Serbia Strategic Energy Development Forum, held in Belgrade and organized by the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).

So far, Serbia has established contacts or started cooperation on nuclear energy with China, France, Russia, Slovenia, and the United States.

Vlahović: We’ll consider pilot hydrogen projects

The main goal of the nuclear energy memorandum is to help the ministry develop and train personnel in Serbia in the field of nuclear technologies, as well as to facilitate the exchange of technical information and expertise.

Photo: Balkan Green Energy News

The second memorandum, on hydrogen cooperation, will enable joint work to assess the potential for developing pilot green hydrogen projects in Serbia. It envisages technical exchanges and support for human resource development, as well as sharing know-how in the full hydrogen cycle and supply chain management.

State Secretary in the Ministry of Mining and Energy Sonja Vlahović noted that Serbia is considering nuclear energy as one of the potential energy sources that could help it achieve energy security while transitioning to clean energy sources.

Joo-ho Whang: Cooperation will enable sustainable growth for Serbia and the company

“For us, it is very important to develop cooperation with countries and companies that are global leaders in nuclear technologies, to exchange knowledge and experience, and to invest in the development of our experts. We are also very interested in the opportunities offered by hydrogen technologies and, together with partners from South Korea, we will explore potential pilot projects,” she said.

According to KHNP President and CEO Joo-ho Whang, the cooperation will enable sustainable growth for both Serbia and the company.

“We particularly expect that demonstration projects in the field of hydrogen will play a key role in developing the hydrogen industry in Serbia. Additionally, the agreement will open new opportunities for cooperation in the clean energy sector,” he added.

KHNP to assist with workforce training

The nuclear energy memorandum calls for KHNP to support the development of training programs for personnel in the ministry and other relevant government institutions, faculties, and companies. The support is expected to cover various aspects of nuclear technologies, safety, and the regulatory framework.

It also includes establishing a mechanism for regular exchange of technical information, research results, and best practices in nuclear energy, the ministry said.

Dimović: Serbia could have a nuclear power plant by 2040

Photo: Ministry of Mining and Energy/Nenad Kostić

The signing was followed by presentations delivered by KHNP, the ministry, state power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS), the Vinča Institute for Nuclear Sciences, and KOTRA.

Park So-hyun, Senior Manager of Overseas SMR Project Section, presented nuclear power plant projects that the company is developing in South Korea and other parts of the world.

Hydrogen projects and cooperation with Serbia were the theme of a presentation by Kim Su-Jy, Senior Manager of Global KHNP Hydrogen & Energy Business Sector.

EPS is conducting a hydrogen study

Assistant Minister of Mining and Energy Radoš Popadić outlined the main goals and planned activities of Serbia’s Energy Development Strategy through 2040. Aleksandar Latinović, Head of Ancillary Services at EPS, presented the company’s development projects, recalling that EPS is currently conducting a study on possibilities for hydrogen utilization.

The Vinča Institute highlighted its rich history. CEO Slavko Dimović announced a public discussion aimed at explaining nuclear energy to all of Serbia, not just Belgrade. His optimistic yet realistic plan is for Serbia to have a nuclear power plant by 2040.

Milan Rajić, Senior Specialist at KOTRA, highlighted the agency’s results and invited Serbian entrepreneurs to collaborate with Korean companies.

The signing ceremony was also attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Kim Hyung Tae, Serbia’s Minister of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation, Bela Balint, and the Director General for KOTRA Europe Headquarters, Kim Hyeon-cheol.

Post Views:140
August 27, 2025
by in News

Serbia’s power utility to take no loans in 2025, fund coal projects on its own

For the first time, Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) will not take out loans this year, but will finance all investments from its own resources, according to General Manager Dušan Živković. However, it has affected the financial performance of Serbia’s state-owned power utility, with profit in the first half of 2025 coming in lower than in the same period last year.

One of the major investments underway is in coal mining, including the construction of several systems needed to enable the opening of the Radljevo open pit mine in the Kolubara mining basin. However, since financial institutions are unwilling to finance fossil fuels, EPS must rely entirely on its own funds, Živković told national broadcaster RTS.

EPS is financing the coal mine on its own, as financial institutions are unwilling to invest in fossil fuels

To ensure sufficient coal supplies, EPS has contracted imports from Indonesia, which Živković explained as a strategy to diversify sources. He described it as the best way to ensure the security of supply.

He said that the installation of machinery at Radljevo is underway and that EPS expects the mine to start producing overburden and coal early next year.

EPS posted a RSD 27.4 billion (EUR 233.8 million) profit in the first half of 2025, compared to RSD 32.8 billion (EUR 280.3 million) in the same period last year.

Kostolac wind farm set to begin operation

Speaking about other key projects, Živković revealed that the commissioning of the 66 MW Kostolac wind power plant is in the final phase and expressed hope that electricity production would begin within a month. He also recalled that the 10 MW Petka solar power plant, built at the tailings dump in the Kostolac coal complex, was put into trial operation about a month ago.

He also said pumped storage hydropower plant Bistrica and the planned 1 GW of solar facilities could come online in the medium term.

Commenting on the announced 7% electricity price increase in October, Živković stressed the process has been initiated and that he expects it to be completed within one to one-and-a-half months.

Electricity consumption during the summer is lower than last year

On the surge in electricity consumption during the summer months, he said the situation this year has been “calmer” than in 2024, with consumption at around 90 GWh, compared to 114 GWh in 2024. It means total demand can be covered from EPS’s own capacities, according to him.

Post Views:95
August 18, 2025
by in News

Serbia’s EPS reports EUR 234 million profit for first half of 2025

Elektroprivreda Srbije achieved a profit of RSD 27.4 billion (EUR 233.8 million) in the first half of 2025.

The financial result of the state-owned Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) is lower than in the same period of 2024, when profit amounted to RSD 32.8 billion (EUR 280.3 million). The company posted RSD 26.1 billion (EUR 222.8 million) in net income for the entire year.

The Ministry of Mining and Energy said the shareholder assembly of the Serbian joint stock company EPS has adopted the report on the implementation of its three-year business plan for the first six months of 2025, declaring a profit of RSD 27.4 billion (EUR 233.8 million).

Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović, the sole shareholder assembly member, noted that the trend of continuous production and financial stability of the company has continued, and highlighted the importance of the results achieved in the mining sector.

The priority is to prepare machinery for the new Radljevo mine in the Kolubara basin

Coal production exceeded the plan by 8%, but more importantly, the year-over-year rise in coal production was 7%, according to Đedović Handanović.

However, in her words, it is crucial to continue the same pace, which is why great effort must be put into completing the machinery preparation project for the new Radljevo mine in Kolubara, so that overburden production can begin next year.

Reduced costs for coal procurement from outside the company

She said that through careful management of the electricity portfolio, coal stocks in depots have been maintained at a high level, around 1.68 million tons. The costs of purchasing coal from third parties are RSD 1.35 billion (EUR 11.5 million) lower than planned and significantly lower than in the past three years, Đedović Handanović said.

The minister highlighted the fact that hydrology has been unfavorable for the second consecutive year, affecting electricity production.

She recalled that in the first quarter of this year, the Petka solar power plant in Kostolac was put into trial operation. Soon, the blades of EPS’s first wind farm will be spun for testing, she Đedović Handanović added.

EPS investing in a subsidiary in Kosovo and Metohija

“It is essential to improve the management of investment activities, especially considering that work is underway on the most significant energy project – the construction of the Bistrica pumped storage hydropower plant. At the same time, it is important to continue efforts to reduce operational costs and improve customer relations,” the minister stressed.

She revealed that as part of the company’s transformation process, key performance indicators (KPIs) were introduced for executive and middle management.

The EPS assembly also approved the decision to invest in the capital of Elektrosever, the company’s subsidiary in Kosovo and Metohija.

That way it enables supplying Serbia’s citizens in four municipalities in the province’s north, she explained. More than 45% of consumers got smart meters by now from Elektrosever, the ministry stressed.

Post Views:65
August 8, 2025
by in News

First desulfurization system test completed at coal plant in Serbia

All construction work on the desulfurization system at coal-fired thermal power plant Nikola Tesla B (TENT B) near Obrenovac, Serbia, has been completed, and individual components of the system are now undergoing testing, the Ministry of Mining and Energy said.

The first test, in which flue gases and limestone slurry were injected through the absorber at unit B1, was completed. The same procedure is planned for absorber B2 in mid-August.

The units utilize the wet desulfurization method. The lime milk solvent is sprayed in absorbers-scrubbers to take in sulfur dioxide (SO2) from flue gas, resulting in the creation of gypsum.

Over EUR 400 million has been invested in desulfurization systems at TENT A and TENT B

Milan Aleksić, advisor to the Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia, said during his visit to the site that more than EUR 400 million has been invested in the construction of desulfurization systems at TENT A and TENT B. He emphasized that the facility at TENT B is one of the largest environmental investments by state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije – EPS. “Last year, a similar system was built in TENT A. It is important that both facilities will contribute to better environmental protection and the health of the residents of Obrenovac and surrounding areas,” said Aleksić.

Thanks to the two systems, both thermal power plants, which still represent the backbone of Serbia’s electricity generation, will be able to operate longer, he asserted.

Aleksić pointed out that the ministry would continue to support EPS in planning and securing funds for environmental projects, with a particular focus on implementing environmental protection measures at thermal energy facilities.

TENT A is in the town of Obrenovac, while TENT B is further west in the same municipality, which is part of the territory of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade.

Cement to be produced using ash from TENT B

EPS’s General Manager Dušan Živković said that with desulfurization systems at three units at the Kostolac B thermal power plant, four units at TENT A, and both units at TENT B, all large EPS thermal power plants would be fully environmentally compliant with both the European Union’s and national standards.

“The hot test, injecting flue gases and limestone slurry through absorber B1, was successfully carried out. This is a key milestone in the technological process. The white plume from the stack is proof that the process is functioning, and we are now entering the phase of fine-tuning all parameters. We expect the desulfurization system at TENT B to begin trial operations in mid-December,” said Živković.

Lafarge plans cement plant and quarry

Another major project is being prepared in Obrenovac. Lafarge BFC Serbia plans to build a cement factory that would use ash from TENT B’s ash landfill as raw material for the production of construction materials. In the first phase, an investment of EUR 110 million is planned. The Government of Serbia has initiated the development of a special purpose spatial plan for the industrial complex.

The project includes a future factory in Ratari, a settlement in the municipality of Obrenovac, and a quarry in the Jazovnik–Svileuva area, spanning the municipalities of Vladimirci and Koceljeva. They would be logistically connected with TENT B. The project addresses the issue of electrostatic precipitator ash disposal and creates opportunities for its reuse in industry, contributing to the sustainability of Serbia’s energy sector.

Post Views:84
July 21, 2025
by in News

BiH’s power utility EPBiH cancels waste co-incineration trial in Tuzla coal plant

Power utility Elektroprivreda Bosne i Hercegovine aborted a waste co-incineration test at its Tuzla coal power plant. It halted the pilot project upon a request from the city authorities.

Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBiH) announced it would comply with the resolutions that the City Council of Tuzla adopted, and halt the development project for trial co-incineration of alternative SRF and RDF fuel with coal at its Tuzla thermal power plant. RDF – refuse-derived fuel, and SRF – solid recovered fuel, are made from waste, and SRF is of higher quality.

The company claimed that, being socially responsible, it bases its operations on consistent compliance with laws, regulations, and local community views, continuous improvement of environmental standards, and a commitment to transparent dialogue and cooperation with all relevant stakeholders.

The plan was to incinerate 100 tons of waste

The trial waste co-incineration was scheduled for yesterday, but the day before, the Tuzla City Council demanded its cancellation at an emergency session.

The first reports about waste incineration at the Tuzla thermal power plant emerged in 2022. EPBiH said at the time that it planned to convert unit 3 of the Tuzla thermal power plant into a cogeneration unit, using wood biomass. However, Bankwatch and the Aarhus Center accused the company of intending to mix waste in, as well.

The idea to incinerate waste in coal power plants has been widely discussed in the region for several years. In 2021, Slovenian state-owned power utility Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE) abandoned a project to burn waste in its Termoelektrarna Šoštanj (TEŠ) facility, citing opposition from local authorities and citizens.

Another BiH power utility, ERS, also plans waste incineration

In May 2023, Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), another government-controlled power utility in BiH, revealed a plan for a trial incineration of waste.

Serbia’s Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) has such plans, too. The company has initiated several studies and pilot projects to analyze the use of alternative fuels in coal-fired power plants.

Its last move was to ask the Ministry of Environmental Protection to determine the scope and content of the environmental impact assessment study required for the project.

Tuzla City Council: We won’t allow experiments on Tuzla’s citizens

TPP Tuzla (photo: EPBiH)

The day before the planned waste incineration, the Tuzla city parliament adopted several conclusions. Among other things, it demanded urgent action from the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism and EPBiH regarding the lack of consultations with local authorities.

The assembly demanded that the management of TPP Tuzla immediately suspend all activities related to the incineration of RDF waste until an urgent public discussion is held with the participation of citizens, experts, and political representatives.

The local council stressed its opposition to all plans for co-incineration and incineration of waste, specifically RDF, until it is assured that the plan complies with legal, environmental, and health requirements.

The City of Tuzla and the City Council clearly and firmly declared that they won’t permit any experiments on Tuzla’s citizens, especially ones with potentially harmful or severe or even fatal consequences for human health, as well as environmental risks, the local parliament said.

Ministry: Everything was done to ensure testing was conducted under controlled and transparent conditions

The Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism noted that EPBiH has requested permission for a trial co-incineration of a mix of coal and alternative SRF and RDF fuel at TPP Tuzla. However, according to the current Environmental Protection Law, there is no legal obligation to obtain either an environmental permit or an environmental impact assessment for trial co-incineration, it explained.

The ministry said that for the purpose of transparency it has issued an expert opinion to ensure the testing is implemented under controlled and transparent conditions, taking into account the interests of the local community.

EPBiH informed the entity ministry that, following the local assembly’s intervention, a federal environmental protection inspector conducted an inspection at TPP Tuzla on July 7 and confirmed that all the conditions were met for testing.

Post Views:47
July 15, 2025
by in News

Serbia’s EPS starts trial operation of its Petka PV plant on coal tailings dump

Serbian state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije, EPS, connected its first larger photovoltaic unit to the grid. The new solar power plant is called Petka and it has a 10 MW grid connection. It is located in the Kostolac coal mining complex east of Belgrade, next to a wind park that is nearing completion. Each new megawatt is important, according to Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović and the company’s Chief Executive Officer Dušan Živković.

After many years of planning and launching numerous solar power projects, EPS launched the trial operation of its first larger facility of the kind. The Petka PV system has 10 MW in connection capacity. It is located on a former tailings dump of the Ćirikovac open pit coal mine in the Kostolac complex.

“It is another important pioneering milestone in our energy sector. We are now producing clean, green energy on the site of an old mining dump, which is a turning point and the beginning of the energy transition of Elektroprivreda Srbije and an example how we can use old energy for new energy,” Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović stated.

Of note, EPS recently installed solar panels of 948 kW total on the buildings within the Termoelektrana Nikola Tesla A (TENT A) coal power plant and of TENT’s rail transportation arm. Another photovoltaic system is on the Lazići dam in Zaovine, belonging to the state-owned utility’s Bajina Bašta hydropower plant.

EPS to connect adjacent wind park Kostolac to grid next month

There are no big or small projects, as every megawatt is important for Serbia’s energy security and it means greater security, Đedović Handanović pointed out.

“In addition to the Petka solar power plant, wind generators of EPS’s first wind park stand tall today in the mining area. They are also built mainly on recultivated tailings dumps. We expect the connection to the grid in August and a testing phase, when the blades will start spinning. That way we will strengthen our electricity system here in Kostolac by 76 MW of green energy,” the minister said.

The ministry’s priorities are the projects for the Bistrica pumped storage hydropower plant and battery-backed solar power plants of 1 GW in total connection capacity

She recalled that the strategic goal of the Government of Serbia is defined by the Energy Development Strategy, to reach a 45% share of renewable energy sources by 2030.

“We have much more to do and put in maximum efforts, because ahead of us are strategic projects which will change Serbia’s electricity bloodflow to a significant extent. They primarily entail the construction of the Bistrica pumped storage hydropower plant and the project for solar power plants of 1 GW with battery storage units. Energy investments necessary in the next ten years are estimated at about EUR 14 billion. Therefore, we must make up for all the delays and be up to the task, to secure energy tranquility for the future generations”, Đedović Handanović added.

EPS continuing with other green projects in its coal mining areas

EPS’s Chief Executive Officer Dušan Živković said each new megawatt is important for the company and the electricity system, especially in tropical days, when electricity demand is getting higher and higher.

“Not only are we strengthening our green portfolio that way, but also the reliability of the entire energy system, while citizens and companies have a secure supply, the same as until now. Projects like this one are concrete steps toward decarbonization and a sustainable energy development, which are also our goals for the decades to come. We will continue with the similar projects both here in Kostolac and also at dumping and landfilling sites in other parts of EPS,” he asserted.

Petka is one of the first PV facilities in the Western Balkans on former coal exploitation locations.

In addition, the construction of the Kostolac B3 coal plant in the same complex was finished last year. It was EPS’s first big energy production system in more than three decades.

Post Views:54
July 9, 2025
by in News

Serbia’s electricity imports up 15% in 2024

Electricity consumption by end consumers in Serbia increased 2.7% last year, while production decreased 6.7%, according to the 2024 annual report of the Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia. Higher consumption and lower production led to a 15% rise in imports.

Excluding the use of electricity in power plants for production purposes, consumption by end consumers in 2024 amounted to 30.8 TWh or 0.8 TWh more than in the previous year.

Household consumption increased by 1.7%, while the other consumers connected to the low-voltage system added 2.4%. The medium-voltage segment grew 5% year on year, and the growth among high-voltage customers was 1.6%, the Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia, or AERS, said.

Hydropower production dropped nearly 17%

Total production in all power plants in Serbia in 2024 was 35,171 GWh. Coal-fired facilities accounted for 60.49%, compared to the 29.74% share of hydropower plants. Combined heat and power plants participated with 4.75%. Wind farms attributed 3.8%, followed by solar power plants, 0.25%, and biomass and biogas plants, 0.86%.

Coal power plants generated 1.2% less electricity than in 2023. The CHP item decreased by 7.6%, and output by hydropower plants connected to the transmission system dropped by 16.8%. Wind farms on the high-voltage network produced 26.3% more on an annual basis.

EPS’s production decreased while wind power output surged

In 2024, the facilities of state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) generated 32.9 TWh or 2.7 TWh less than in 2023. AERS noted EPS’s peak production in the past ten-year period was 35.5 TWh, in 2023. Put together, all others are increasing output year after year.

They include power plants connected to the distribution grid. There were 413 of them in total in 2024 and they produced around 991 GWh of electricity.

Wind farms increased production by a quarter

There are six wind farms connected to the transmission network, and two cogeneration or CHP plants: Pančevo and Vinča.

The wind segment contributed 1,243 GWh, about 26% more than in 2023. The Pančevo gas-fired CHP and Vinča waste-to-energy CHP together generated 1,116 GWh in 2024, the report reads.

Rise in imports and decline in exports

In 2024, electricity imports were 8.5% or 563 GWh higher than exports.

Imports totaled 7.2 TWh, which is 15% or 1.1 TWh more than the year before. Exports were 6.6 TWh or 1.4 TWh less than in 2023.

Exporting in the winter, importing in the summer

According to AERS, both exports and imports were significant throughout the year. Favorable hydrological conditions and a relatively mild winter allowed exports to exceed imports in the first quarter.

However, an exceptionally hot summer led to substantial imports, with monthly quantities exceeding 0.8 TWh both in July and August.

The highest monthly electricity imports, over 0.9 TWh, were registered in December 2024, according to the AERS report.

Post Views:39
June 11, 2025
by in News

NGOs request withdrawal of draft just transition action plan in Serbia

Eighteen non-governmental organizations have criticized Serbia’s draft just transition action plan and called for the creation of a new document with concrete measures and activities. The Ministry of Mining and Energy said the adoption of the action plan should enable the establishment of an institutional framework for managing a just transition and define the most important activities up to 2030.

The Ministry of Mining and Energy recently published a draft just transition action plan and launched a public debate. The plan foresees investments of EUR 88 million.

The presentation of the draft took place yesterday in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PKS) in Belgrade. The public debate began on May 21 and ended today.

According to the Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI) and the Belgrade Open School, with support from 16 organizations, the ministry announced at the debate in PKS that the energy transition would be postponed until 2030 and that the proposed measures would be limited to preparatory activities aimed at preventing the negative outcomes of the energy transition.

The NGOs called for the development of a new draft with concrete measures and activities for a just transition.

The organizations urged the EBRD to check if the drafting and adoption of the document is in line with its standards

They called on the ministry to restart the preparation of the draft in line with the standards of the Law on the Planning System and the Energy Community’s guidelines for planning the just transition. They also urged the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to compare the document’s drafting and adoption process against its environmental and social protection standards.

Of note, the draft is the result of a project funded by the EBRD. The NGOs outlined five main shortcomings.

The public debate was supposed to be organized in Lazarevac, Obrenovac, Kostolac, Požarevac, and other locations where the residents will be most affected

The first is that the public was neglected (the 20-day period for public debate is insufficient; no presentations were held in Lazarevac, Obrenovac, Kostolac, Požarevac, or other places where the residents will face the greatest and most direct impact). Another one is legal baselessness.

The third objection relates to the fact that the measures are neither precise nor substantive but only preparatory (most of the proposed measures are either preparatory or require additional analyses and research). The next item is that half a million euros are envisaged for updating recently adopted acts (it is not specified which strategies, laws, and bylaws need to be amended).

Finally, the civil sector criticized the fact that there is no precise date for phasing out coal-fired electricity production (it prevents affected communities and workers from making rational and informed decisions).

Zlatković: The draft action plan serves as an introduction to a broader energy transition process

Aleksandar Zlatković – second from left (photo: Ministry of Mining and Energy)

Aleksandar Zlatković, advisor to the minister of mining and energy and head of the working group for the preparation of strategic documents at the ministry, said that the draft action plan represents an operational framework for the specification of the strategic goals defined in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan until 2030, with a vision to 2050 (INECP), and the Energy Development Strategy until 2040, with projections to 2050.

The proposed measures include support for workers and communities in transition, strengthening local economies, education, and retraining, as well as capacity building for local authorities.

The detailed elaboration and identification of priority territories and targeted measures will be carried out by bodies that are planned to be established

According to Zlatković, the document also serves as an introduction to a broader energy transition process and establishes the institutional framework for setting up the bodies that would systematically manage and plan the just and energy transition processes.

“It is important to emphasize that the action plan provides only illustrative examples for some potentially affected regions. The detailed elaboration and identification of priority territories and targeted measures will be carried out through the work of the newly formed bodies, primarily after the adoption of the decarbonization plan of Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS),” Zlatković stated. The state-owned power utility is expected to produce the document by the end of the year, he added.

Post Views:45
June 10, 2025
by in News

Serbia shelves plan for strategic partnership for 1 GW in wind farms

Serbia has revised its Baselines of the Energy Infrastructure Development Plan and Energy Efficiency Measures for the period up to 2028, with projections up to 2030. It defines priority projects in the energy sector.

The Baselines of the Energy Infrastructure Development Plan and Energy Efficiency Measures were adopted in mid-2023 at the proposal of the Ministry of Mining and Energy. In the new document, the construction of 1 GW wind farms is no longer among the priority projects. The plan was to involve with a strategic partner, similar to the project for 1 GW of solar power plants, which is currently being developed by state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) with a strategic partner.

The development plan serves as a basis for the implementation of Serbia’s Energy Development Strategy and the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).

The ministry outlined projects across six sectors

The investment cycle planned for the upcoming strategic period represents the backbone of the Energy Development Strategy. It provides the foundation for further assessments and projections of the targeted energy mix through 2030 and 2050. It aligns with the international commitments undertaken in the process of European Union accession as well as with the obligations within the Energy Community, the document reads.

The plan includes projects in six sectors: electricity generation, transmission network, distribution network, natural gas, oil and petroleum products, and energy efficiency. It ranks the projects within each sector.

The most significant change in renewable energy is that the construction of wind farms with a combined capacity of 1 GW is no longer on the list of priority projects.

Solar power plants Kolubara and Morava on the priority list

The 1 GW of solar power and the Kostolac wind farm remained among the four most important endeavors, while the new items are the Morava and Kolubara photovoltaic projects. The Klenovnik solar power plant has been removed from the list. According to the document, the projects on the list are the most advanced.

In total, EPS has 41 projects for power generation or 20 less than in the original document.

Fewer projects, but more realistic

The authors explained that the number of renewable energy projects is lower, but more realistic and better optimized. The entire EPS investment portfolio across all areas requires significant funds and loans, so it would not be realistic to pursue a larger number of high-value projects that cannot be financially or physically implemented within a reasonable timeframe, the document underlined.

It was also taken into account that many private projects, mainly wind farms, are being developed through the auction system, so the focus of EPS’s projects is primarily on solar power plants, to create a balanced ratio between wind and solar power plants in the system. The company’s project for the wind farms with a strategic partner remained a backup option, in case an additional capacity is needed, according to the document.

There are new items on the list for the electricity distribution network

There were no changes in the transmission network segment. The priority projects are the third and fourth sections of the Trans-Balkan Corridor, the Pannonian Corridor, and Beogrid 2025. The list contains 66 investments, five fewer than in the original plan.

Changes have been made regarding investments in the power distribution network. The most important projects now are the 110/10 kV substations National Stadium and Surčin. Automation of the medium-voltage network was kept, together with the ongoing replacement of wooden poles with concrete ones and the replacement of electricity meters with smart ones.

The integrated system for remote monitoring, diagnostics, and control of the low-voltage distribution network has been removed from the list. Instead of replacing transformers at 10 kV, 20 kV, 35 kV, and 110 kV voltage levels, the new focus is on the reconstruction of 25 substations of 110/35 kV.

Planning the first district cooling systems

The energy efficiency part of the baselines was changed the most.

The previous document was primarily focused on reviewing and securing financial support for ongoing projects, while the current one is envisaging expanding the scope and considering new financial mechanisms and sectors that require additional support.

Among other initiatives, the Strategic Plan for the Decarbonization Policy of the District Heating and Cooling Sector in the Republic of Serbia is being prepared. It is a joint endeavour of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Association of Serbian Heating Plants, and the Ministry of Mining and Energy.

The project aims to define steps to improve the district heating system, including heat storage, the use of heat pumps, utilization of heat generated from waste treatment, and the development of the first district cooling systems, according to the document.

Special attention will be devoted to developing guidelines for expanding the district heating system by connecting new users while simultaneously shutting down fossil fuel boilers. It will directly contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and pollution, the authors noted.

Post Views:38