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Why nuclear power is returning to the focus of decarbonisation alongside solar and wind - What energy mix does our country need?
Source: eKapija
Wednesday, 18.03.2026.
23:52
Wednesday, 18.03.2026.
23:52
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Illustration (Photo: Markus Distelrath from Pixabay)
As he explains, although it is often emphasized that the investment costs of building nuclear power plants are high, compared to renewable energy sources they can be competitive or even more favorable in the long term.
- The reason for the construction of nuclear power plants is the same as in other countries that plan such plants - decarbonization and lower overall costs of electricity production compared to production from solar power plants and wind generators, and therefore a potentially lower price for end consumers - Stevanović points out.
He recalls that analyzes often compare only investment costs per installed capacity, while ignoring the fact that solar and wind energy are extremely variable sources. This means that for the stable operation of the power system, it is necessary to provide additional capacities for energy storage, which considerably increases the total costs.
- When talking about the economics of nuclear power plants, the high investment costs of construction are always highlighted, while the low investment costs per unit of installed power stand out in the case of solar power plants with photovoltaics and wind generators. It is not taken into account that during the production of electricity from time-varying renewable energy sources, it is necessary to ensure considerable, and in addition expensive capacities for the accumulation of electricity, and in order to provide the same amount of electricity, a significantly higher total installed power of solar power plants and wind generators is needed in relation to the power of a nuclear power plant - the professor explains.
In addition, he adds, nuclear power plants have a much longer working life - they are designed for at least 60 years of operation, with the possibility of extending up to a century, while the lifespan of solar panels and wind turbines is mostly between 25 and 30 years.
Another advantage of nuclear power, especially in densely populated and industrial regions, is the relatively small area of land needed to build a power plant compared to large solar panel fields or wind farms.
- For individual users, especially in highly industrialized and populated areas, the advantage of the construction and exploitation of a nuclear power plant is that the required area of land for the construction of the power plant, exploitation and disposal of radioactive waste is negligible compared to the areas occupied by solar power plants and wind generators. The renewable hydromechanical energy of water streams is very important. However, the most favorable locations for building hydroelectric power plants in developed countries, even in our country are mostly used, so the construction of new hydroelectric power plants would require considerable investments, and the total possible capacities are limited and would not meet growing future needs - says our interlocutor.
Load factor key difference
Stevanović also points to a big difference in the so-called load factor, that is, the actual operating time of the power plants during the year. The load factor of modern nuclear power plants reaches 95%, while for solar power plants in Serbia it is about 18%, and for wind generators about 32%, he states.
- This means that for the same electricity production as in a 1,200 MWe nuclear power plant, 6,300 MWe solar power plants or 3,500 MWe wind generators would be required. If the investments in the necessary facilities for the accumulation of electricity are taken into account, the total investments significantly exceed the investments in the construction of nuclear power plants, even if the most technically and economically favorable reversible hydropower plants (whose potential locations are also limited) would be used for the accumulation. The flexibility of electricity generation in power systems can also be increased by using gas power plants. Investments in gas power plants are lower, but the price of gas is high and the question of the reliability of its supply is raised - he points out.
Great potential for CO₂ emissions reduction
In Serbia, thermal power plants that use coal as the main fuel produce about 22 TWh of electricity and emit about 22 million tons of CO2.
- The operation of one 1,200 MWe nuclear power plant would produce approximately 10 TWh of electricity, which would lead to a reduction of CO2 emissions of about 10 million tons or about 45% compared to the current emission. That would be a very big contribution to the decarbonization of electricity generation - the professor says.
What energy mix does Serbia need
According to him, it is not possible to define the optimal energy mix for Serbia without detailed analyzes that would include economic development, demographic trends, availability of energy resources, but also geopolitical factors and reliability of energy imports.
- The optimal energy mix in the power industry in the mid-term period could be to increase the capacity of solar power plants and wind generators by engaging, both state and private capital of companies (building solar power plants and wind farms) and individuals (in the household sector), but to an extent that would not endanger the safety of the power system or lead to a significant increase in the price of electricity, then the construction of reversible hydroelectric power plants in the most favorable locations (Bistrica and perhaps Đerdap) and accelerated preparation and construction of a nuclear power plant with a capacity of about 1,200 MWe. The most favorable location for the construction of a run-of-river hydroelectric power plant is Buk Bijela with a power of about 100 MWe. but with unit investment costs exceeding 2 million EUR per installed megawatt. For other possible locations, unit investments would be even higher. At the same time, it should be taken into account that due to the variable flow during the year, the load factor of hydropower plants in our area is about 70% or lower, and in doing so, we should take into account the impact of global climate change on the reduction of water flow in our rivers in the future. The oldest coal-fired thermal power plants would be withdrawn from operation - explains our interlocutor.
According to him, gas power plants can play a certain role in the transition period.
but they do not represent a long-term solution because the burning of natural gas also produces CO₂ emissions.
- If the consumption of electricity in the future increases significantly, the application of small modular reactors could also be considered, a technology that is expected to be widely used in the world during the next decade - Professor Stevanović concludes.
Ivana Žikić
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