Nine foreign companies interested in modernization of Novi Sad's Steam Power and Heating Plant

- So far, nine foreign companies from Italy, Greece, Russia, the United States of America and Canada have expressed interest in modernization of Steam Power and Heating Plant Novi Sad (TE-TO) - the Assistant CEO of the Electric Power Company of Serbia (EPS), Zoran Manasijević, said today (February 24, 2010).

Manasijević said at the press conference in Novi Sad that the analysis of efficiency of the existing steam power unit in settlement Sangaj near Novi Sad was underway and that it would give the answer to the question if it needed to be reconstructed or the new block would have to be built.

This year, as he announced, tender will be announced for modernization of TE-TO, of which value is 200m EUR, while the name of Energija Novi Sad' strategic partner in the TE-TO modernization project will be known prior to beginning of the autumn.

According to Manasijević, modernization of the existing steam power units in Serbia is necessary due to strict international criteria, so that the participation of foreign partners in the projects for creation of more efficient heating systems is also very important.

In mid-2009, EPS and the City of Novi Sad formed the Organization for combined production of steam power and heating energy Energija Novi Sad, which anticipates modernization of TE-TO Novi Sad and construction of another block for production of electricity and energy for central heating.

According to the contract, Energija Novi Sad should find a partner who would invest 200m EUR in construction of new gas-steam block, with the installed electric power of 450 MW and thermal power of 300 MW, in order to satisfy the needs of the Novi Sad's heating system.