Serbia’s power utility EPS gets four mobile substations thanks to EU donation

Serbia’s state power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) has received four mobile substations thanks to the EU’s donation, in what will improve reaction in emergency situations such as floods and wildfires.

Since 2014, the EU has donated EUR 72 million for flood relief and recovery in Serbia, making it the country’s single largest donor. Five years on, the reconstruction phase is transitioning to the prevention phase, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi said at the mobile substation handover ceremony, the EU Info Center tweeted.

Delivered today the latest technology to increase security of electricity supply to Serbia in case of emergencies. Once again the 🇪🇺 assistance helps 🇷🇸 to be a safer and better place. Partnership and friendship. pic.twitter.com/DPs8o2J8FE

— Sem Fabrizi (@FabriziSem) April 25, 2019

Part of the donation to be used in the power distribution segment is worth EUR 9 million. In addition to the procurement of the four mobile substations, it will also finance the development of remote control and monitoring of the medium-voltage distribution network in Kraljevo, which was the hardest-hit place in Serbia during the 2014 floods, according to a press release from EPS.

The largest of the four mobile substations was produced at multinational technology company ABB’s plant in Italy, soaking around EUR 1.4 million of the EU donation. This 110/35 kV, 20 MVA, 70-tonne substation is mounted on a 20-meter trailer and its equipment is easy to install, according to the press release.

The other three, 35/10 kV, 8 MVA substations, with a total value of around EUR 1.8 million, will be deployed in the Kraljevo, Niš, and Kragujevac distribution areas, EPS said, noting that Novi Sad-based GAT is the contractor.

In regular operations, these substations will be used as substitute capacities when the existing substations are being reconstructed, EPS said.

The EU donation for the project is part of the IPA II national program for Serbia intended for flood recovery.

“This assistance is very important as it will make it much easier and more efficient to reconstruct any 110 kV substation without affecting end-users,” said EPS acting General Manager Milorad Grčić, adding that the largest of the four substations can supply 12,000 end-users. He thanked the EU for the donation, which he said not only has a financial value but also represents a “crown” of cooperation intensified in 2014, when Serbia was hit by major floods. Grčić noted that Serbia is now seeking to prevent floods, after going through the recovery period.