Serbia should try to keep the leading role in the energy field.
There will not be a privatization of EPS, however that does not mean that we shouldn’t develop strategic joint ventures – Prime Minister Dačić said.
The third revitalized aggregate of Hydro Power Plant “Bajina Bašta” was commissioned on October the 9th and the fourth phase of revitalization of this Hydro Power Plant was started. The commissioning of the third aggregate was attended by Ivica Dačić, the Prime Minister of Serbia, prof Zorana Mihajlović phD, Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection,prof Petar ŠkundrićPhd, Prime Minister’s Advisor for Energy,Aca MarkovićphD, the President of the Board of Directors of EPS, Aleksandar Obradović, Acting General Manager of EPS, representatives of German and Austrian Embassies, German Development Bank KfW, as well as representatives of the contractors’ companies.
Overall value of the Revitalization Project of Hydro Power Plant “Bajina Bašta”, which represents one of the most important investments for the energy system of Serbia, is 77 million euros, 30 million of which has been provided through a loan of the KfW Bank, whereas 47 million euros was provided by EPS from the sale of electricity. After the revitalization has been completed, instead of the installed 368 megawatts, Hydro Power Plant “Bajina Bašta” will have the power of 420 megawatts, and its longevity will be increased by 30 to 40 years. Annual electricity production will be increased by 40 million kWh, i.e. by what a new 52 MW Hydro Power Plant would produce. Activities on the fourth aggregate should be completed in August 2013.
IvicaDačić, the Prime Minister of Serbia, congratulated on the work done so far, but he also emphasized that it is necessary to start building new energetic capacities after the revitalization.
Upon completion of HPP “BajinaBašta” we get new power, as if a small Hydroelectric Power Plant had been built. It is important that in thisactivities we cooperate with German and Austrian companies, but it is highly satisfactory that local companies participate – Dačić said. Modernization of HPP is not just a renewal, but also recruitment and development of the local economy, and the crisis requires new projects and investments.That is the only way to recover.
Prime Minister Dačić said that the energy and infrastructure projects are our best development opportunities for economic recovery. And, as he explained, this is the reasonwe need to use them as initiators of development.
– We expect many projects in different areas of the energy sector and from different countries. Serbia needs to maintain a leading role in the energy sector, and therefore it must be said that there will be no privatization of EPS. This does not mean that we shouldn’t develop strategic partnerships and joint ventures – said the Prime Minister of Serbia.
– We need to move on, because Serbia has no time to wait. The water flows trough our rivers, so we should not waste years waiting for someone to help us more than we are able to help ourselves.
Congratulating the successful work carried out so far in HPP “BajinaBašta” Zorana Mihajlović stressed the importance of the Drina River in the ecological and energy aspects.
– Construction of reversible HPP “Bistrica” and development of energy projects on the Drina river are priorities of the Ministry of Energy and the Government of Serbia – said Ms Mihajlović.
– EPS is ready for the upcoming winter, and supply of electricity, heating energy and gas has to function flawlessly, in order to say that everything is ready for the successful heating season.
Despite the drought, more than planned
Drought and very critical hydrological situation have marked this year. The average flow of the Drina river in Bajina Bašta is 330 cubic meters of water per second, and in August and September 2012it was almost seven times less, and sometimes even less than 50 cubic meters per second. During the summer months, production was slightly worse compared to last year. But in the overall balance, in terms of production from January to August, compared to the same period last year, HPP “BajinaBašta” produced 60 million kWh more. PE “Drina-Lim HPP” produced a total of 11 percent more energy than the plan envisagedfor the same period. Water is used mainly form the river reservoirs Piva, Kokin Brod and Uvac.
Cooperation between foreign and local companies
Foreignsuppliers andlocal companies that are involved in this project, cooperate under the coordinationof experts fromthe company”Drina-Lim HPPs”. The task of rehabilitation has been entrusted to the Austrian company “Andritzhydro” and local companies: Goša Assembly, ATB “Sever”, the institutes “MihajloPupin” and “NikolaTesla”, ABC “Minel””Energoprojekt”, “Elnos”, “Elektroizgradnja”, “Temelj” GP”Markovic”, and some other local companies.
The ceremony was also addressed by Dr Jürgen Welschof, the Director of KfW Office in Serbia. He said that the rehabilitation projectfor the hydroelectric power plant (HPP) “BajinaBašta” was completed for the most part, adding that everything runs smoothly thanks to
the excellent cooperation between financiers, equipment suppliers and contractors. In the next year, according to him, the entire work will be completed, and rehabilitation of HPP “Zvornik” should also commence.
Miodrag Čitaković, Director of the company „Drina-Lim“ HPPs introduced the guests with the company’s most important current and future jobs, and explanied all previous rehabilitation works involving three power units.
– The third phase ofrehabilitationwas completedin 10 months, just on schedule – explained Mr. Čitaković. -Although some sectionswere completed ahead of time, we, like in theprevious two phases, encountered significant problemsthat were being solvedon the spot.Rehabilitation task is more complexthan buildinga new facility, as the challenges lying ahead of the professionals engaged, are very hard to predict. Therefore, all involved are required to put additional efforts day and night, including work on weekends and holidays, in order to meet deadlines. Some activities were carried out in extremely adverse weather conditions. Such was the case with the impeller, which came to the site when the ai temperature was about -30 oC, while a rotor had to be lowered at a scorching temperature hitting above +40 oC.
As explained by theDirectorof “Drina-Lim” HPPs,once the completion of HPP”BajinaBašta” is over, the attention must be paid toa major overhaul of the reversible HPP “Bajina Bašta”.” In fact, it’s been nineyears since themajor overhaulwas donein this plant, and according to international estimates, these power units need to undergo amajor overhaulevery eight totenyears. Mr. Čitaković also pointed out that the future building of reversible HPP “Bistrica”, with 680 MW capacity, represented the crown of great plans set by EPS and the company “Drina-Lim” HPPs.
– Reversible HPP”Bistrica” would have areservoirforsome80 millionkilowatt-hours of electricity, which means a significantproduction in critical periods – noted thehost ofthe ceremony. For RHPP”Bistrica”, the feasibility study analysis anda revision of the current conceptual design were made. In addition, theterms of referencefor thepreparation ofthe feasibility study, conceptual designand environmentalstudies were determined.
Source Serbia Energy Magazine