Serbia: Flooded coal mines of Kolubara influencing electricity shortages and imports

Published on 20. June 2014., News Serbia Energy

If the most flooded mines would not be capable of working, Serbia will have a shortage of electricity this winter, says Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic.

Production in Kolubara has been increased at the satisfactory level for this time of year, and from Serbia power utility company EPS say that BasinVeliki Crljeni has been currently drying and that foreign experts have analyzed the situation in Tamnava basin.

The fact that Serbia is no longer importingelectricitydoes not even remotely mean that the power situation has stabilized. On the contrary. As flooded mines are reclaimed as fast as possible, the chance of buying someone else’s electricity will be lower.

“If we looked at the current coal production, we would certainly have had a shortage of electricity in the winter”, said Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic.

The Mining Basin Kolubara now produces 45 tons of coal per day, which is half of the regular production. TENT near Obrenovac can count on more or less normal operation in summer conditions. Open pit mine Veliki Crljenihas been urgently drying. This work will last for months.

“At this point we do everything to enable the mine Veliki Crljeni that could give us 25 tons per day and Tamnava mine which would stabilize us,” said Antic.

And crucial Tamnava mine is greater than Vlasina Lake, because it lies in a whopping 200 million cubic meters of water. There are no predictions when it could be operational.

“We are negotiating with foreign experts how to solve it, they are now in the field, analyze and only after they give their opinions, we will know if we could count on its functioning”, says Aleksandar Obradovic,EPSActing Director.

Serbia are preparing for talks with the European energy community that, in the worst- case scenario, could count on a loan that would be returning next summer.