MIHAJLOVIC: There is not a single reason to privatize EPS

Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic has stated that there is not a single reason for any kind of privatization of Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) to be carried out today or, as show emphasized, in ten years.

At the National Assembly of Serbia, where a set of laws on energy and mining was discussed, she pointed out that there was likewise no reason for Serbia not to produce sufficient quantities of electrical energy, but added that EPS needed to be made more efficient.

She emphasized that the company had not built new capacities for a long time and that it now needed to invest in them.

She did, however, mention the economic aspect of the construction of the capacities for the production of electrical energy and said that, for example, the construction of a state-of-the-art thermal power plant of 600 MW cost around EUR 4.5 billion, whereas a reversible hydro power plant of 600 plus 600 MW would cost up to a billion euros.

Joinery only to be procured from companies selected at the tender

Regarding the comments made by certain MPs about the replacement of the joinery to the end of increasing energy efficiency, Mihajlovic clarified that, as per the law, it didn’t mean that citizens would procure doors and windows at companies.

– We will first have a public call, that is, a tender for companies and we will thereby get a list of companies that will produce and secure the joinery – she explained and added that the companies could increase the price however much they want, but that the joinery would not be procured from them in that case.

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

Elektroprivreda Srbije ad Beograd

Zorana Mihajlović

EPS

privatization of EPS

production of electrical energy

thermal power plants

reversible hydro power plants

replacement of joinery