Djedovic Handanovic: Gas interconnections with North Macedonia and Romania in next two years

For Serbia, it is a priority to diversify gas supply routes through the construction of interconnections with neighboring countries, primarily with North Macedonia and Romania, said Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic during a conversation with the Director of the World Bank Office in Serbia, Nicola Pontara, about the new multi-phase program for the development of the gas sector in Serbia.

According to her, two new interconnections should be built in the next two years and will bring Serbia more options in terms of new routes and suppliers and greater security in the event of crises.

– The World Bank’s support in increasing the capacity of the existing natural gas transport network within the country, the construction of compressor stations and the increase in the capacity of underground gas storage facilities is very important to us, which are important for us to be able to take advantage of all the advantages that new interconnections bring us – said Djedovic Handanovic.

The new multi-year program would involve implementation in several phases, with the first phase including the construction of the Nis-Velika Plana gas pipeline section and the preparation of technical documentation for projects to be implemented in subsequent phases.

Phases 2 and 3 of the program would include the expansion of existing and construction of new gas storage facilities, with associated gas pipelines, and the construction of a gas pipeline from Mokrin to Belgrade. The development of the study should also include an analysis of the readiness of the gas infrastructure in Serbia for the transport of hydrogen.

The meeting discussed the dynamics of activities, including the process of obtaining approval from the World Bank for financing the program, the formation of expert teams, and the start of the development of technical documentation.

Pontara expressed satisfaction that cooperation with the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the Government of Serbia would continue with new projects in the gas sector.

Svetska Banka-WB Beograd

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

Nicola Pontara

Dubravka Đedović Handanović

gas interconnection with North Macedonia

gas interconnection with Romania

gas pipeline Niš Velika Plana