Serbia signs MoU on nuclear energy with China

China will be Serbia’s yet another partner in developing nuclear energy. So far, contacts have also been made with Russia, France and Slovenia.

State-owned Nuclear Facilities of Serbia has signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE).

The document was signed in Beijing by Dalibor Arbutina, CEO of Nuclear Facilities of Serbia, and Yang Hongyi, Director General of CIAE.

The memorandum envisages strengthening cooperation between the two countries in decommissioning a heavy-water research reactor, radioactive waste management, radiation protection, and the exchange of knowledge and experience, local media reported.

The document enables the implementation of joint projects, staff training

The agreement creates conditions for joint projects, staff training, and technical support.

It is part of bilateral cooperation between the only Serbian nuclear operator and China’s largest nuclear institute. The memorandum aims to strengthen technical cooperation and connect Nuclear Facilities of Serbia with the most important global partners in the nuclear energy and environmental protection sectors.

In November of last year, Serbia adopted the changes to the Law on Energy and lifted the ban on the construction of nuclear power plants, introduced in 1989. The idea to introduce nuclear energy in Serbia was announced by President Aleksandar Vučić in 2021.

A few months later, in November, Vučić met with Director General of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev. One of the topics discussed was the possibility of building a nuclear power plant, according to the president.

A memorandum was signed with EDF

In April 2024, a memorandum of cooperation was signed with French state-owned energy company Electricite de France (EDF). It envisages nuclear energy as one of the areas of cooperation.

A few months later, the Government of Serbia awarded a contract to EDF and Egis Industries for a preliminary technical study considering the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Two months ago, Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia Dubravka Đedović Handanović met with Ambassador of Slovenia Damjan Bergant to discuss potential cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.