The largest
environmental project in Serbia on the construction of a flue gas
desulfurization system at the Thermal Power Plant "Nikola Tesla A" in
Obrenovac is progressing well and will enable reduction of sulfur dioxide
emissions by 10 times - said Milorad Grčić, Acting Director of Electric Power
Industry of Serbia during a visit to the construction site of that plant.
- This project
will not only help us provide clean air for Obrenovac, people of Obrenovac and
the surrounding area, but it also guarantees extension of lifetime of the
largest EPS thermal power plant TENT A. Contract for desulfurization system in
TENT A was signed in 2017, works are progressing at a great pace and we expect
the plant to be operational in May 2023. This will help reduce CO2 emissions on
units A3, A4, A5 and A6 as much as 10 times - announced Grčić after visiting
the construction site with Miroslav Čučković, the mayor of Obrenovac.
He expressed his
appreciation to the companies "Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems" and
"Jedinstvo" from Užice for their engagement in the implementation of
this project. Grčić announced that the desulfurization system will also be in
operation for the two oldest units in TENT A.
- We have retained
those two units with a total power of approximately 450 MW. We are going to
announce a tender for revitalization this year, and as part of that, we will
work on a desulfurization project for units A1 and A2 - he added.
Head of the EPS
pointed out that the construction of the desulfurization system in TENT A is
the second largest EPS construction site in Serbia, right after the
construction site for the new unit "Kostolac B3".
- If all goes
according to the plan, we will open the third largest construction site by the
end of the year, which will probably be the most important one for the people
of Obrenovac, Lazarevac and entire Kolubara district. After almost 40 years, we
will continue the construction of the thermal power plant "Kolubara
B" in Kalenić with a 350 MW capacity unit. All these big projects
indicate that Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Serbia, together with the
Government of Serbia, believe in an idea that EPS must be strengthened and
expanded - said Grčić.
He also said
that EPS signed an agreement in Republika Srpska on joint investment with Elektroprivreda
Republike Srpske.
- After 40
years, the Government of Serbia and the Government of Republika Srpska, EPS and
Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske are ready to begin the project implementation of
building hydro power plants on the Upper Drina. We are going to build three
hydro power plants of 120 megawatts each. All of this indicates that Serbia has
energy stability and steady future in terms of energy - Grčić emphasized.
President of
Obrenovac City Municipality, Miroslav Čučković, said that the works in
TENT A show that the territory of Obrenovac is the largest construction
site in Serbia, and added that EUR 500 million worth investments in the
highway, Mei Ta factory and the bridge over Kolubara and Sava Rivers are
realized in Obrenovac.
- Another 500
million EUR are investments in TENT, among which is the desulfurization system
that will permanently define a healthy environment in Obrenovac and extend the lifetime
of the power plant for at least five decades - said Čučković.
He added that
Obrenovac, which has been on the Sava River for 169 years, will get a port
within the investment in TENT A and it will represent a new potential for the
municipality development.
- All the
builders who are here today are working for the future of the children who now
attend primary schools and who will find their future jobs in the thermal power
plants. Investments contribute to Serbia remaining an energy-independent
country, so that we can make our own plans and permanently be the driver of
development, not only of Belgrade but of the whole Serbia as well - Čučković
pointed out.
The president of
the Trade Union of The Workers of The Electric Power Industry of Serbia, Milan
Đorđevic, pointed out that the desulfurization plant is the product of a
decade-long struggle and a response to EU requirements and everything that is
required of EPS.
- We are doing
our best to be a presentable company in Serbia, the Balkans and Southeast
Europe, and I hope that EPS will one day find its place under the sun in the EU
by building such factories and implementing ecological cleaning - said
Đorđević.
He thanked
director Grčić and president Vučić, who, as he assessed, are the most deserving
of prosperity in EPS.
- EPS is a
backbone and this government has recognized it better than all the previous
ones, but that does not mean they should relax, and the union is here to
control them so they perform their work even better - said the president
of EPS Trade Union.
