Serbia intends to invest EUR 1 billion in a natural gas pipeline network, according to Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović.
Dubravka Đedović Handanović met with a World Bank delegation to discuss the implementation of the first phase of the new gas program, the project’s financing and management framework.
She stressed that concrete steps are underway to launch the EUR 1 billion project, aimed at strengthening and modernizing domestic gas infrastructure, building institutional capacity, and supporting reforms in cooperation with the World Bank.
The first section of the Niš-Velika Plana pipeline will be constructed in the first phase
“In the first phase, we will construct the first section of the Niš-Velika Plana gas pipeline. The new pipelines that we build within this project will enable us to fully utilize the potential of the gas interconnections with our neighboring countries, which means greater energy security as well as the strengthening of our position as a transit country and a gas hub in this part of Europe, and also bringing us higher revenues,” she said.
The southern and eastern parts of the country will also gain wider access to gas, which is crucial for industrial development and attracting investments, the ministry added.
The next phases of the program envisage expansion of the capacity of the existing natural gas transmission network, the construction of compressor stations, and boosting underground gas storage capacities, she added.
This will enhance system security, strengthen regional connectivity, and increase system flexibility, in her view.
Working group to coordinate project development and implementation ahead of funding approval
The project coordination working group comprises representatives from the ministry, gas sector companies—Gas Infrastruktura, Transportgas, and Srbijagas—and other relevant stakeholders, according to the ministry.
Pending funding approval, the working group is expected to coordinate the preparation and implementation of the project to ensure all activities are implemented within the planned deadlines, Đedović Handanović explained.
The meeting also addressed the timeline for implementation, including the World Bank’s funding approval procedure, the establishment of a project implementation unit, and institutional support.
Of note, Serbia plans to build two new gas interconnections over the next two years – with North Macedonia and Romania. The ministry claims they are vital for diversification and greater security of supply.
