Serbia: Completion of EU directives on thermal power plants in process, environmental investments ongoing

Published on 26. September 2013., News Serbia Energy

Question on the environment pollution due to the thermal power plant work in Serbia, which may be heard in the public, is overemphasized, because Serbia already starts to solve those problems. In the favor of that also goes the fact that until now 500 MEUR was invested in the pollution reduction that comes from the thermal power plants, said today special advisor of the Minister of Energy, Development and Environment Protection, Ljubomir Aksentijevic.

This does not mean that this problem does not exist, said Aksentijevic, adding that the pollution problem is not only our problem and that not only Serbia has impacts on it, but also the others regional states.

On the meeting on material conditions importance in the energy sector for the Serbia accession process to the European Union which has been held today in Media Centre, Aksentijevic stated  that Serbia prepared for the completion  of the European directives related with the thermal power plants work, and which would become effective in 2017.

It is planned that in 2015. EPS invests near 1, 2 billion EUR in ecological projects in power plants, which, beside the precise pollution analysis of every power plant in Serbia, was already exposed in EPS “Green book”, he recorded, commenting the study results of the Investigation Forum of the European Movement in Serbia, related to the thermal power plants work in Serbia.

Aksentijevic pointed out that Serbia does not give attention only to the coal, but the priorities in Serbia also are investments in hydro power plants and increase of energy efficiency. In favor of this also says the fact that the exit energy price in hydro power plants amounts 0, 8 eurocents for kilowatt hour, which is much more favorable from the electricity produced in thermal power plants on coal, which costs between 2, 4 and 2, 8 eurocents for kilowatt hours.

The plans of new capacities development, as the assessment of the electricity consummation in Serbia for the next years, are exposed in the Strategy of Energy Development for Serbia by 2025, for which the public discuss is underway, said Aksentijevic and added that the foreign investors would bring the decision about their investment here based on the economy cost effectively.

He pointed out that Serbia should complete EU conditions from the energy sector first of all because of its citizens, but also because of assumed international obligations, because by that gets more clear environment, optimal energy mix, energy stability and bigger electricity export. According to him, completion of these obligations should be taken through phases, because of the limited financial resources.

Source; Serbia Energy/MERZ