Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that Serbia is currently considering the possibility of building its own nuclear power plant, adding that there were negotiations with Russian state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom on this matter.
However, President Vucic believes that the country would have problems with project’s financing. He said that the construction of a nuclear power plant would cost up to 10 billion euros, while Serbia has previously decided to keep its public debt below 60 % of its GDP at all times.
Currently, these is a moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants in force in Serbia, a regulation passed from former Yugoslavia.
Earlier this month, President Vucic reiterated the country’s intentions to take part in the construction of nuclear power plants in neighboring countries, adding that the possibility of installation of small modular reactors (SMR) in Serbia is also being considered.
He said that he spoke with Hungarian President Viktor Orban about the investment in the project for the expansion of Hungary’s sole nuclear power plant Paks. According to him, Serbia is prepared to purchase 15 % stake in the project and will pay good money for it. The negotiations are still at the beginning because the two new reactors at NPP Paks are expected to come online in 2035. He also reminded that there were negotiations with former Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Serbia’s participation in the project for the construction of NPP Belene.