The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union have pledged their support for the redevelopment of the Vlasinske hydropower system in Serbia, a key element of the country’s transition to green energy.
The reconstruction of the plant, which is more than 70 years old, will commence in the spring of this year, and has been a “long-time coming”, as one worker at the facility put it.
About the Vlasinske site
The Vlasinske facility, built between 1946 and 1949, consists of four cascade hydropower plants, two artificial lakes – Vlasina, which sits 1,200 metres above sea level, and Lisina – and 60 kilometres of tunnels and canals. One of its facilities is located inside a mountain.
The renovation of the facility, which to date has received ongoing maintenance and minor repairs, will be financed by a €67 million EBRD loan and a €15.4 million investment grant from the EU, secured through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.
The project will replace key equipment at the site, including turbines, generators, and hydromechanical components.
Hydropower accounts for close to nearly 30% of Serbia’s electricity, while coal still dominates the country’s energy landscape, accounting for about 60% of electricity production, with EPS under pressure to modernise its energy footprint.
Serbia’s energy future
“Revitalizing these plants is crucial for Serbia’s energy future,” cemented Jovan Ilić, head of EPS’s Hydro and Renewables Maintenance Unit. “The Vlasinske system is a priority as the oldest plant of this type, but there are plans to modernise other plants as well. We have intensified work in this area and we are hopeful that, in the coming years, we will see more, similar investments.
“The reconstruction of the Bistrica and Potpec hydropower plants are imminent, as well as that of Djerdap 2. Future reconstruction projects will include the remaining EPS hydropower plants: Uvac, Kokin Brod and Pirot.”
Since 2020, the EBRD, in collaboration with the EU and other donors such as Switzerland’s SECO, has been working alongside the Serbian government on fostering the development of renewable energies through a series of auctions.
The latest move ‘signals the country’s commitment to expanding its renewable energy sector and attracting the necessary investment to meet its clean energy ambitions,’ the EBRD noted. Read more here.
