Pirot on track to become Serbia’s “city of sun”

Investors are drafting documentation for the construction of more than 125 MW of solar power plants in Pirot, advancing its ambition to become Serbia’s “city of the sun,” similar to the town of Trebinje in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Investments in solar power plants will bring multiple benefits to Pirot, as an incentive to the construction industry, as well as job creation, but also due to the fact that this is a renewable energy source, said Mayor Vladan Vasić, according to local media outlet Pirotske vesti. Pirot has plenty of sunshine hours, and there is strong interest among investors in solar power projects, he said.

Unlike many other cities, Pirot requires investors to develop detailed zoning plans for locations where they intend to build energy facilities, before launching construction, according to Vasić.

Projects to build three small solar power plants are also under way

A French company is preparing a zoning plan for a 75 MW solar power plant, which would span 106 hectares, the mayor said. However, connecting the plant to the grid will take a long time, given the large capacity and problems the investor has with state power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) and national grid operator Elektromreža Srbije (EMS) regarding transmission lines, according to him.

British investment funds have also approached the city authorities, with plans to build a 45 MW solar power plant on 50 hectares of land. They have also started developing a zoning plan, he said.

There are also projects to build three small solar power plants – one up to 5 MW and two with a capacity of 1 MW each, according to Vasić.