State-owned power utility EPS has announced a delay in completing the draft environmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the Bistrica pump-storage hydropower plant project, citing recent changes in legislation as the primary reason.
The study is being developed in line with Serbia’s Law on Environmental Impact Assessment and based on guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. However, following the enactment of a new law on 6 December 2024, EPS has been required to revise the draft to meet the updated legal standards.
The new legislation introduced changes to the structure and content of EIA studies, necessitating additional chapters, broader analyses, and a more comprehensive approach overall. As a result, not only has the timeline been extended, but the cost of producing the study has also increased. EPS’s contract with Energoprojekt Hidroinzenjering has been adjusted, raising the value by approximately 63,000 euros. The total cost now stands at around 490,000 euros, excluding VAT.
EPS explained that the price increase reflects the additional workload and expanded scope required under the new law. The revised deadline for completing the draft EIA study is now 31 December 2025.
In response to concerns about whether this delay might affect the start of construction, EPS confirmed that the timeline for the Bistrica project remains unchanged. Preparatory works are still scheduled to begin in 2026, as previously announced by Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic.
