The Ministry of Mining and Energy announced that the European Commission, through the Investment Framework for the Western Balkans (WBIF), granted our country EUR 8.44 million in grant aid in the field of energy.
These funds will be used to finance the reconstruction of the hydroelectric power plant (HE) “Bistrica” and the preparation of a Feasibility Study with an Environmental Impact Assessment for the Central Balkan Corridor project.
The ministry estimated that the realization of these projects will contribute to the increase of production capacities from renewable energy sources, as well as transmission capacities, by connecting Serbia with its eastern and western neighbours.
“Thus, we are becoming an important energy hub of the European power system”, they stated in the announcement and added that almost a third of the total approved funds are intended for projects in the field of energy.
For the reconstruction project of HE “Bistrica”, Elektroprivreda Srbije was granted an investment grant of 7.72 million euros, which covers about one-fifth of the estimated value of the investment, which amounts to 36.1 million euros.
On this occasion, the Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović emphasized in a statement that by replacing the equipment at HPP “Bistrica”, which was built more than 60 years ago, its lifespan will be extended, which will contribute to the security of supply, increase the share of production from renewable energy sources, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
According to her, project-technical and spatial documentation has been prepared for this project and construction permits have been obtained, and the beginning of the works is planned for the second half of the next year.
For the preparation of the Feasibility Study for the Central Balkan Corridor project with an environmental impact assessment, which involves the construction of a new transmission line that would connect central Serbia with the region of Kostolac, and in the second phase the connection of Serbia and Bulgaria as well as the construction of new transmission lines that would connect eastern and western Serbia, determined is 724,482 euros, and the beneficiary of the funds is EMS.
The Central Balkan Corridor, whose estimated investment value is around 195 million euros, is included in the Pan-European transmission system development plan of the European Association of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-E).
