The Serbian Electric Power Industry is ready to open the Serbian electricity market in 2012, said General Manager of this public company Dragan Markovic. According to the Bill on Energy, as of next year, the market should open up for eligible consumers, who account for 40% of the production portfolio of the Serbian Electric Power Industry, but the company is not afraid of the competition and it invests in modernization of the existing and construction of new plants. Jelena Milenkovic has more.
The strategy of the Serbian Electric Power Industry is based on building capacity that will produce energy from renewable sources. This will increase the energy efficiency, and at the same time, advanced technology would be introduced. The “White Book” contains all development projects of the Serbian Electric Power Industry and attracts a lot of attention of investors. Among them are projects related to construction of small hydropower plants across Serbia. Four plants are planned to be built in the upper and three ones in the middle course of the Drina River, as well as the construction of a reversible hydropower plant Bistrica and five power plants on the Velika Morava River. The construction of ten plants on the Ibar River has started in cooperation with the Italian company SECI, Markovic said. Also, planned is the renovation and construction of 34 small hydropower plants, in total value of 90 million euros. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide their funding in the amount of 45 million euros, while the remaining funds will be provided by the Serbian Electric Power Industry. In addition, the Serbian Electric Power Industry is planning the construction of hydroelectric power plant Djerdap 3 on the Danube, with about 2,400 megawatts of power that would meet the regional needs for balancing energy. The project value exceeds 3 billion euros and its realization is possible only in cooperation with foreign partners, and in several stages. German, Norwegian and Chinese partners have showed interest in this project.
Great responsibility and realization of numerous projects that will contribute to the development and creation of the stable electric energy system in the region, lie before the Serbian Electric Power Industry. The company has not given up on the project of building a third thermal power plant “Nikola Tesla B” with 700 megawatts, although the tender was unsuccessful. The value of this project, along with the opening of coal mine, is some 2 billion euros. The Serbian Electric Power Industry will soon announce whether the offer of the Italian company Edison, which is the only bid submitted for the construction of thermo power plant Kolubara B, will be accepted. The construction plan includes two units of 350 megawatts of power each, and so far around 300 million euros has been invested in this business, and the amount of another 550 million euros is needed for the completion. Also, the construction of the power plant Kostolac B should commence, the value of which is about 340 million euros. By mid-July, the Chinese Exim Bank should approve a loan for the first part of the project to be realized with the Chinese company CMEC. The entire project for renovation of power plant and construction of a new unit, with the opening of a new mine, is worth about 1 billion dollars.
