Romania, Serbia in talks on pumped storage hydropower Đerdap 3, energy cooperation

Regional interconnections and construction of energy infrastructure are the national interests of every country, and Serbia’s priority is to create a regional energy map, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlović said in Bucharest. She pointed out that Romania and Serbia are interested in developing the Đerdap 3 pumped storage hydropower project and that it should be a hybrid power plant.

Zorana Mihajlović took part in a roundtable on energy security and the conflict in Ukraine in the Romanian capital, organized by the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC). The fficials from the United States, the European Commission, and the Western Balkans attended the meeting.

Mihajlović also talked in Bucharest with Romanian Energy Minister Daniel Virgil Popescu about the implementation of joint projects, improving cooperation between the two countries in renewable sources, and building a gas interconnection.

Đerdap 3 is planned to be a hybrid pumped storage hydropower plant

It was their second meeting in the last few days, as they also spoke on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of hydropower plant Đerdap 1, which is jointly managed by the two countries, as is HPP Đerdap 2.

There is mutual interest in developing the hybrid pumped storage HPP Đerdap 3 project, she said after the meeting. It will be, in her words, not only a new energy source important for balancing new renewables but also a project for the improvement of regional energy security.

The plan is to build a wind farm and solar power plant as a combination of floating and ground-mounted facilities, which will turn Đerdap 3 into a hybrid pumped-storage hydropower, unique in Europe, the Minister said.

Mihajlović added that Serbia would prepare documentation for constructing a gas pipeline from Mokrin, on the northeast to the border, connecting its gas system with Romania’s. The interconnection would also allow Serbia to connect to the BRUA pipeline, stretching from the Black Sea to Austria via Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. The total length would be 12.8 kilometers.

The two countries are also discussing the possibility of constructing an oil pipeline from oil fields in western Romania to Serbia.

Turk: An intergovernmental agreement on cooperation between the US and Serbia would facilitate cooperation in all fields

At the meeting with David Turk, US Deputy Secretary of Energy, Mihajlović said the priority for Serbia is the completion of the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnection and that it would enable access to other suppliers than the Russian ones. The country also plans to build interconnectors with Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

The US wants to discuss Serbia’s plans to develop the energy sector, Turk said.

He added that he agrees that an intergovernmental cooperation agreement would facilitate cooperation in all fields – from exchanging knowledge and technology to direct joint projects.

Mihajlović also met with Pamela Ward, Regional Senior Commercial Officer for Southeast Europe at the US Department of Commerce, and Michael Lali, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs in Europe at the US Mission to the EU.

She said Serbia would conduct significant investments in the renewable energy sector and large projects such as Đerdap 3 and pumped storage HPP Bistrica. She has invited US companies to participate in the projects.