By putting the flue gas desulphurization plant in four
units of the thermal power plant Nikola Tesla A into trial operation, we have
completed a large investment chapter in Elektroprivreda Srbije and one of the
largest environmental projects in Europe – said Mr. Dušan Živković, Acting CEO
of EPS JSC, at the ceremonial taking-over of this plant.
The taking-over ceremony was attended by the Minister
of Mining and Energy, Mrs. Dubravka Djedović Handanović, Minister of
Environmental Protection, Ms. Irena Vujović, Parliamentary Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Yasushi Hosaka, representatives of the Japan
International Cooperation Agency, representatives of the contractors Mitsubishi
Power, Jedinstvo, members of the EPS JSC Supervisory Board, the president of
the municipality of Obrenovac, business partners...
The head of EPS pointed out that this project significantly
improved the quality of life of the citizens of Obrenovac, Belgrade and Serbia,
and extended the life cycle of one of the pivots of our power system. Mr. Živković
pointed out that the state-of-the-art equipment of well-known manufacturers has
been installed into the plant and it is the wet process technology of flue gas desulfurization
in which lime is used. A by-product of this procedure is gypsum, which is
already being produced and which is of the Euro quality. The expected annual
production of gypsum is about 250,000 tons.
- The same plant is under construction in TENT B. With
the completion of this project at the end of the next year, we will definitely
put an end to the issue of emissions in EPS' large units TENT and TPP Kostolac,
which produce about 90 percent of electricity from thermal power plants – said
Mr. Živković.
- As of today, the Serbian power system may boast with
a thermal power plant that may be compared by the environmental standards to
any European modern thermal power plant. When we say that sulfur dioxide
emissions will be reduced even thirty times and that the emissions of particulate
matters will also be significantly reduced, it means that the citizens of
Obrenovac, surrounding towns and Belgrade will have significantly better air quality.
This is an enormous thing done by this Government, the Ministry I manage and
Elektroprivreda Srbije - said the Minister of Mining and Energy, Mrs. Dubravka
Djedović Handanović.
She pointed out that approximately €215 million has
been invested in the construction of the flue gas desulphurization plant and
that this plant has been successfully completed together with Japanese partners
and local companies. The Minister of Mining and Energy emphasized that the desulphurization
project in TENT A is an important part of bilateral cooperation with Japan, which
is believed that may be expanded with new initiatives in the future.
- We are already discussing with the Government of
Japan and JICA, which are interested in the construction of the pumped storage
hydro power plant Bistrica. What TENT A is for Serbia today, in terms of supply
stability, PSHPP Bistrica will be in the coming decades, and that is why we are
looking for dependable partners worldwide that can provide technology,
favorable financing, efficiency, as well as the highest environmental standards
for this new project - said Mrs. Djedović Handanović.
The Minister of Environmental Protection, Ms. Irena
Vujovic said that the importance of the project for the citizens of Belgrade is
great, especially bearing in mind that thermal power plants in Obrenovac,
according to the Environmental Protection Agency, are one of the largest
sources of pollutants.
- By virtue of
this investment, the annual sulfur dioxide emissions will be reduced, and particulate
matters will be reduced to the European standards. Sulfur dioxide will be
processed into gypsum, in accordance with the principle of circular economy – said
Ms. Vujovic.
Parliamentary Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Japan, Mr. Yasushi Hosaka expressed his satisfaction for visiting Serbia for
the first time, and that the flue gas desulphurization plant in TENT A was the
first project in Serbia to be implemented with a loan from Japanese yen.
- This project is important for the improvement of the
green transition in Serbia, and we will continue to support Serbia on the way
towards decarbonization – Mr. Hosaka said.
Mr. Noriyaki Taniguchi, Deputy CEO of Mitsubishi
Power, pointed out that this project was accompanied by many challenging
situations such as the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, but that everything
was overcome through a good cooperation with the Ministry of Mining and Energy
and EPS. He noted that Mitsubishi Power is willing to make contribution with
its technology to the Serbian environment and economy, with an excellent
relationship with local companies.
