Central European Development Forum-CEDEF organized International conference on the benefits and prospects of small hydro power plants, on 5th June in Gamzigradska banja near Zajecar, and thus marked the World Environment Day. The conference was held in cooperation with the Energy Efficiency Agency of Serbia under the auspices of the Public Enterprise “Electric Power Industry of Serbia”.
The meeting was opened by Dr Aca Markovic, President of the Board of EPS, pointing out that Serbia has created a regulatory framework for renewable energy and that EPS is purchasing power from 25 preferred manufacturers.
The establishment of the separate company for renewable energy, as well as running numerous projects for the revitalization of existing and construction of new small hydro power plants, EPS has shown the importance that is given to small hydro power plants and also, that it acts in accordance with the principles of the Energy Development Strategy in Serbia until 2015th- says dr Markovic.
Zoran Manasijevic, the Assistant of Managing Director for the technical system of EPS, critically reviewed the current practice of building small hydropower plants, noting a number of obstacles.
-Serbia has a great need for construction of new small hydro power plants but ,until now, little has been done in this field. The reason for this is the lack of unified decentralized support, and the lack of clearly defined laws and regulations that guarantee the long-term safety to investors who want to deal with this-noted Manasijevic.
Dragan Milentijevic, Acting Directors of “Jugoistok” company, state that his company owns seven small hydropower plants, which produce more than 18 million kWh annualy, and that they have plans to increase production by more than 12 million kWh annually,
