Minister of Energy and Mining Petar Skundric said that the future of the Serbian energy sector lies in new investments, creating new energy capacities and jobs, greater social security for miners and application of modern technologies in the area.
At a celebration marking 140 years since the beginning of industrialization of Serbia last night, which was also attended by President Boris Tadic and First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic, Skundric said that a biggest investment cycle over the past 25 years has been launched in the field of energy.
Although electricity prices in Serbia are the lowest ones in Europe, we started and we will finish the works as planned, said the Minister, stressing that there is a necessity to power company Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) to remain in majority state ownership.
Serbia’s strategic and economic interest is to preserve existing and open new mines and production capacities, which is realistic and achievable only under the condition to increase public and private investments in the energy sector, he stated.
Skundric said that in the next two months we are expected to finalize negotiations with Chinese partners for the loan of €850 million for modernization of the Kostolac power plant.
He recalled that tenders were called for the construction of Kolubara D and Nikola Tesla B3 power plants as well as for power and heating plant in Novi Sad.
Revitalisation of hydro plants Djerdap 1, Bajina Basta and Zvornik also began and significant investment of several billion euros in renewable energy sector is also expected, he said.
Skundric pointed out that 140 years ago first organized exploitation of mineral wealth in Kostolac began, where also began first production of electricity from thermal capacities not only in Serbia but in the whole region.
He said that since then, the production at the mine Kostolac has been ongoing without interruption and stressed the importance of miners’ work and their invaluable contribution in providing sufficient quantities of energy for Serbia.
Thanks to their work day and night in very difficult conditions in the mines, we are able to fulfill the goals of Serbian energy policy, said the Minister.
The ceremony at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre was also attended by many distinguished guests, including Director of EPS Dragan Markovic and Director of Kostolac thermal plants and mine pits company Dragan Jovanovic.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Energy and Mining, EPS and Kostolac thermal plants and mine pits company.