It was confirmed to delegation of Elektroprivreda Srbije in a meeting with the representatives of the French power company EDF in Wednesday that this company, as a new majority owner of the Italian company Edison, remains the strategic partner for building two new blocks of the power plant Kolubara B in Serbia.
Executive director of EPS Bratislav Ceperkovic said after the meeting that this is the most important news in the past twenty five years when it comes to electrical engineering.
According to his opinion, it is very important to always keep in mind the balance of power, since the turnover of EDF is 40 times bigger than the turnover of EPS, the number of employers five times higher, and the production has increased nearly 35 times.
‘The project is one of the important strategic projects for development of new power capacities. Our hosts from Paris are also interested in new strategic partnership and introduction to our capacities and a possible investment in our power system’, said Dzombic.
He said that the yesterday’s meeting was the first preliminary meeting of the representatives of EPS and EDF, and the representatives of the largest public company in the world have confirmed the arrival in Belgrade soon.
EDF has recognized EPS as the most significant partner for development and investment at the territory of Western Balkans.
Serbia has great resources, there is great hydro potential, said Ceperkovic, adding that France has developed renewable energy sector.
One of the leading producers of renewable energy sources expressed the desire to be involved in this business, especially in obtaining electricity from the combustion of waste, where they have a great experience, said Ceperkovic.
It is important to have extensive experience in ‘smart networks and smart energy measurement’, and the executive director of EPS mentioned a significant fact that one of the most successful companies in saving energy in Europe participated in tenders in Serbia for this purpose.
Ceperkovic pointed out that EDF pays special attention to energy efficiency, which is strategically important state program for Serbia, since about 47 percent of energy ‘goes, never to return each day, which is a luxury for our country and a serious national strategy is needed’.
Reminding that the EDF entered the ‘Juzni Tok’ project with 15 percent ownership, he said that yesterday they discussed their potential involvement in the cogeneration project, in other words, power generation from gas.
The tender for the construction of such a power plant in Novi Sad should be completed by mid-December and EDF is interested in applying for the tender, he said.
According to Ceperkovic, EDF previously expressed a wish for the TENT B3 project which has not gained a strategic partner at the last tender.
‘We should be realistic and say that it will not be easy to bring three billion euros in the production of electricity and coal through the implementation of Kolubara TENT B and B3’, he added.
When asked whether the TENT B3 would call a new tender or it will be agreed at international level, he pointed out that this decision has not been made yet and that it is not an easy thing to do at all.
Serbia should deal with the project by itself, however this is a very optimistic attitude since the project is rather expensive and it is expensive to be done without any help in these conditions, considers Ceperkovic.
He reminded us of the experience two years ago when EBRD gave large loans in the power sector, adding that Serbia itself might realize the project.
 ‘People in the EDF are well aware of the fact that Serbia is the only member of the Energy Community with ready projects, the only thing to remain is to see how we will manage to animate them’, said Ceperkovic.
Serbia has the strength to deal with this concept and should try to do so, and it is never too late to turn to foreign investors, or to include the potential partner in one of the phases of work, he added.
If Serbia succeeded in dealing with TENT B3 project, it would be a great invitation to foreign investors to invest in our country, like EDF did, pointed out Ceperkovic.
In every future business with EDF, this company will be the strategic company to EPS, because the company’s management does not want to leave power capacities to someone else, but to work together, he said.
The company EDF has an annual turnover of approximately 70 billion and electric power capacities in the European, South African, Asian and African countries.
 Source Serbia-Energy.com
