Electricity

EPS director: Serbia won’t cut electricity production from coal despite green energy expansion

eps serbia electricity coal renewables

Thermal power plant Nikola Tesla B (photo: EPS)

Published

March 31, 2021

Country

Comments

comments icon

0

Share

Published:

March 31, 2021

Country:

Comments:

comments icon

0

Share

The site for the installation and maintenance of equipment for coal mine Radljevo and the bypass road around the facility will be completed by New Year, and afterwards the exploitation of the coal will start in a very short time, said Milorad Grčić, director of power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS), adding no one should be worried that the production of electricity from coal would be reduced due to the introduction of green energy.

Radljevo is one of the new mines in the Kolubara coal basin, planned to supply new thermal power plant Kostolac B3, whose construction has already begun, as well as Kolubara B, whose construction is in the pipeline. It could also serve as a replacement for depleted mines. Estimated coal reserves are around 350 million tons.

Two days ago, the Government of Serbia adopted a bill on renewable energy with the aim to boost the use of green energy in the country.

Coal from the Radljevo mine is intended for new thermal power plants

Grčić said every investment that enables the extension of the life cycle of any production capacity is very important for EPS, because the Kolubara coal basin is a pillar of electricity supply, local media reported.

Coal provides stability to electricity production in Serbia

He also said that no one should worry that the amount of electricity Serbia produces from coal would be reduced due to the introduction of renewables. Coal gives stability in the production of electricity in Serbia.

“Electricity production from coal will remain at the same level as now. We will only increase capacities in renewable energy sources, so the percentage of total coal production will be lower, but the amount of coal and electricity from it will remain the same,” Grčić explained.

Coal will be excavated for a long time in the municipalities of Ub and Lazarevac

Miodrag Ranković, president of the Kolubara trade union, said Radljevo is the future of the mining sector.

“All this provides assurance that coal will be excavated for a long time on the territory of municipalities of Ub and Lazarevac, and Radljevo is quite important, because it will replace our older mines,” he stated.

The Radljevo mine is a response to lobbyists who would like to move the switch to another state

He added that the opening of the Radljevo mine is the answer to all lobbyists who say that coal will no longer be excavated.

“There have always been lobbyists that want to move the switch to another state, to enslave us from that side, but with this kind of state leadership it will not happen,” Ranković said.

Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

serbia eu region bef 2026 ivan asanovic cges market coupling

Asanović: Montenegro expects European Commission to clear market coupling by end-June

12 May 2026 - Ivan Asanović, CEO of Montenegro's transmission system operator, participated in the panel on transmission grid development at BEF 2026

serbia eu region bef 2026 jelena matejic ems renewables grid connection

Matejić: Serbia’s grid to integrate 12 GW of renewables in next six years

12 May 2026 - Jelena Matejić, General Manager of Elektromreža Srbije, took part in a panel on transmission grids at Belgrade Energy Forum 2026

serbia eu region bef 2026 admir sahmanovic chapter eu

Šahmanović at BEF 2026: Montenegro set to close energy chapter of EU accession talks

12 May 2026 - The two-day Belgrade Energy Forum 2026 (BEF 2026) brought together about 500 participants on its first day

serbia eu region bef 2026 sanja bozinovska cooperation

Božinovska at BEF 2026: Regional cooperation is not a choice, but a necessity

11 May 2026 - The fourth edition of Belgrade Energy Forum (BEF 2026) has brought together 500 participants