Serbia’s EPS wants to build solar park on suspended coal plant project site

Serbia’s state-owned power producer EPS issued a call for research for the purpose of installing a solar power plant at the location of the recently halted coal-fired thermal power plant Kolubara B, and for the production of the documentation and technical data necessary for the investment.

In parallel to its initiative to continue the construction of coal plant Kolubara B, Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) published a tender for field research for a planned solar power plant at the same site. The selected contractor will also have the task to deliver technical documents and the information necessary for the project.

The deadline is November 23, when the opening of the bids is scheduled. Serbia’s state-owned company said it would pick the winner within 60 days.

EPS ceased the works in May on the said thermal power plant just south of Belgrade, as instructed by the Ministry of Mining and Energy. The management insists the construction should continue, while the government never came out with a final decision.

PowerChina’s status is unknown

In the meantime, China announced it would stop investing in coal plants outside of its borders. Kolubara B was supposed to be built by state-owned Power Construction Corp. of China – PowerChina. However, it remains unclear whether the decision includes existing agreements. It is also unknown if there were any changes with regard to the contract with EPS.

PowerChina, which was supposed to install the Kolubara B thermal power plant, is turning to renewables and it has plans for Serbia and Montenegro

On the other hand, PowerChina expressed interest in the past few months for solar power plant projects and other renewables in Serbia and Montenegro and other places in Europe.

The locations for research for a solar park at the site that was envisaged for Kolubara B are in the villages of Kalenić, Poljane, Stepojevac, Mali Borak, Veliki Crljeni and Cvetovac. The contract should last a maximum of 24 months.

Rooftop photovoltaic units on existing buildings have priority

EPS said solar power panels would be placed on the roofs of existing buildings like warehouses and workshops and that it is the priority in the task, but that the possibilities for ground-mounted facilities shall be examined. The contractor needs to gather data that would be necessary for the documentation for a tender for the installation of the solar park.

The dominant electricity producer in Serbia is also preparing to build photovoltaic facilities at coal power plant ash and slag dumps – one with the capacity of 97.2 MW and three of almost 10 MW each. It has been working on a 66 MW wind power project at such a site and on one of the planned solar power units since at least 2014.