Government to form National Nuclear Program Organization by end of month – Rosatom “valuable partner” in preparatory phase

Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic spoke with a delegation of the Russian State Corporation Rosatom, led by Director General Alexey Likhachev, about cooperation between the two countries in the field of nuclear energy.

Djedovic Handanovic emphasized that Serbia and Russia had decades of cooperation in energy, in the gas, oil, and electricity sectors, as well as that there was a deep connection and successful cooperation on various projects.

The Minister emphasized that Serbia was at a crossroads in planning the future of the electricity sector and the beginning of a long journey, and added that she was proud that after 35 years, the law banning the construction of nuclear power plants had been repealed, marking the beginning of the building of the foundations for the future development of nuclear energy in Serbia.

According to her, we are learning from various partners in the preliminary and preparatory stages of the development of the nuclear program, and Rosatom, as one of the world leaders, which has been building nuclear power plants and developing nuclear programs in countries around the world for 80 years, some of which have experience and some of which are developing a nuclear program for the first time, could be a valuable partner for knowledge exchange and support in the preparatory stage for the development of the nuclear program.

Djedovic Handanovic reminded that Serbia was planning to build additional capacities for electricity production, as well as that a new stable source of baseload energy was needed, due to economic growth, new technologies, artificial intelligence and decarbonization of the energy sector.

The minister stated that Serbia had adopted strategic documents that recognized nuclear energy as an option after 2040, and the Government of Serbia should also approve the formation of the National Nuclear Energy Program Implementation Organization (NEPIO) by the end of the month.

She noted that Serbia planned to complete the first and second phases of the nuclear program by 2032, and added that in the preparatory phase Serbia was cooperating with the French company EDF, and that it was ready to cooperate with other technology carriers from which it could learn.

Djedovic Handanovic pointed out that, at that further point, the technology of small modular reactors would be more developed than at that moment and that Serbia would be able to consider them as an option.

When Serbia is equipped in terms of institutions, regulations and staff, it will be able to choose a partner, a technology carrier and enter the construction process, so that after 2040 it can have a nuclear power plant on the network, emphasized Djedovic Handanovic.

Director General of the Russian State Corporation “Rosatom” Alexey Likhachev presented the experience and activities of Rosatom, the projects they were developing at that moment, as well as plans for the future and modalities of possible cooperation.

Likhachev said that Rosatom was a world leader in nuclear energy and that it was implementing approximately 30 large and small power units in nine countries, including China, India, Egypt, Turkey and Hungary, at that moment.

– We could exchange experiences and knowledge with Serbia within the framework of the working group. Our experts can cooperate in areas such as public information and education, strengthening human resources capacities and analyzing the regulatory framework – explained Likhachev.

The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko.

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

Ambasada Ruske Federacije Beograd

Ministry of Mining and Energy

Rosatom

National Nuclear Energy Program Implementation Organization

NEPIO

Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Serbia

Aleksandr Botsan Kharchenko

Dubravka Đedović Handanović

Alexey Likhachev