The construction
of a flue gas desulphurization plant, worth more than EUR 167 million, has
begun at the "Nikola Tesla A" thermal power plant in Obrenovac. The
laying of the foundation stone was attended by Aleksandar Antić, Minister of
Mining and Energy, H.E. Junichi Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan to Serbia, Milorad
Grčić, Acting Director of "Electric Power Industry of Serbia", Takema Sakamoto, Director of the Japan Agency for
International Cooperation for Europe and the Middle East and Takanori Nakamoto,
Vice President of "Mitsubishi Hitachi Power System".
This is an important day for the
future of "Electric Power Industry of Serbia", as well as TPPNT,
which with its 1,750 megawatts, without a doubt represents the pillar of the
country's energy system - said the Minister of Mining and Energy. - We pay
special attention to maintaining the life of that power plant, which was built
in the seventies and which today must be adjusted to EU standards, especially
in the field of environment. TPPNT has completed three key segments important
for environmental protection, namely the construction of electrostatic
percipitators on all TPPNT units, as well as the reduction of nitrogen oxides,
which was carried out on units A3 and A5, and by the end of February will be
completed on unit A4 as well. The largest segment that follows is the desulphurization
of flue gases, the construction of which is starting today, thanks to the
Government of Japan and JICA, which gave us a favourable loan.
According to him, it is especially
important that "Mitsubishi Hitachi Power System", which leads the
works on the construction of the plant, will bring new technology to our
country and that it will provide an example to domestic companies how to implement
such projects in the future. As much as 60 percent of the construction work
will be done by domestic companies.
Acting Director of EPS Milorad Grčić
said that the flue gas desulphurization system will be built for four units of
TPPNT A - A3, A4, A5 and A6, with a capacity of 350 megawatts each. This plant
will enable the thermal power plant to continue operating for at least 20
years.
- The project was at risk of failing,
but thanks to the Government of Serbia, we revived it and today we will start
its implementation- said Grčić. - This year, the rehabilitation of units A1 and
A2 in TENT will begin, which are the oldest and whose rehabilitation will take
several years. The deadline for the construction of the desulphurization plant
is 42 months, followed by a warranty period and a trial run of the plant of 12
months.
- Japan used to face the problem of
air pollution, but it managed to solve it. It would be my pleasure for the
Serbian people to use our knowledge and technology that we have gained from
those experiences - said H.E. Junichi Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan
to Serbia. - I am sure that our support for this project can help Serbia's
efforts to implement the social reforms necessary for EU accession.
According to Takema Sakamoto, director
of the Japan International Cooperation Agency for Europe and the Middle East,
the leading companies Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Itochu Corporation and
Tepsko are involved in this important project and can contribute to the success
of this project and can enable the transfer of advanced technology to Serbian
friends and the development of their capacities. In addition to various
cooperation projects in the past, which have lasted for more than two decades,
JICA also gives priority to the exchange of people between the two countries.
The project is being implemented within the agreement between the
governments of Serbia and Japan, on the basis of which a loan agreement was
signed in 2011 for its financing between PE EPS and JICA. The contract on the
construction of the plant between EPIS and the consortium of companies led by
the company MHPS was signed on September 8, 2017.
