Serbia has set a 2035 target to begin construction of its first nuclear facility. The country also plans to complete the initial assessment phase of its national nuclear programme by mid-2027. Serbia’s next step is to establish the necessary institutional and regulatory framework by 2032.
The programme is being developed through Serbia’s National Nuclear Energy Programme Implementation Organization. It follows a staged approach promoted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Under this structure, Serbia is expected to address legal, regulatory, technical, financing, safety and workforce issues before selecting a final reactor technology or committing to construction.
Staged development and feasibility work
A preliminary feasibility study prepared with France’s EDF provides the starting point for further technical and economic work. The next phase is expected to compare available technologies, system requirements, construction models, fuel-cycle arrangements and potential financing structures. This sequence is intended to support decisions ahead of any move toward reactor selection and construction commitments.
The mid-2027 milestone is designed to provide the Government with enough information to decide whether and how Serbia should proceed. By 2032, Serbia aims to have a functioning nuclear regulatory framework, institutional capacity and a sufficiently developed pool of technical specialists. These milestones are positioned as prerequisites within the programme’s staged approach.
Investment envelope and budgeting limits
Serbia has included nuclear energy in its 2035 development strategy with an investment envelope of approximately €3 billion. The figure is not presented as the confirmed capital cost of a nuclear plant. A final project budget cannot be established before capacity, technology, ownership, localisation, site and financing have been selected.
The stated objective of starting construction by 2035 also implies that commercial operation would occur later. Large nuclear projects require lengthy construction, commissioning and regulatory approval. As a result, the programme is described as primarily a post-2035 supply strategy rather than an immediate response to Serbia’s capacity needs.
Regulatory readiness and workforce development
Workforce development is identified as a central workstream for the programme. The Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences and the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad are preparing a master’s programme for future nuclear engineers. Serbia will also require specialists across nuclear regulation, safety assessment, environmental permitting and radiation protection.
Additional roles highlighted include project finance, construction supervision, cyber security and emergency preparedness. The financing model is described as a key determinant of whether the programme advances beyond preparatory studies. Nuclear projects require long-duration debt, strong state support and a revenue framework able to absorb construction delay and cost-overrun risk; reactor selection alone cannot establish bankability.
Power system context for nuclear planning
For Serbia’s electricity system, nuclear generation is cited as potentially providing low-carbon baseload power. It is also expected to reduce long-term dependence on lignite and imports.
The credibility of the 2035 construction target is linked to completion of earlier milestones. In particular, it depends on delivering the 2027 decision package and meeting the 2032 institutional-readiness deadline.
