EPS accepts Edison's offer for construction of Kolubara B

The Electric Power Company of Serbia (EPS) has accepted the offer submitted by the Italian energy company Edison for the construction of Kolubara B steam power plant and made the decision to resume the project development activities, EPS announced on June 3.

EPS has been offered a 36.4 percent stake in the new joint venture that will be building the new power plant.

Negotiations between EPS and Edison, as well as the joint work on a feasibility study, are planned to start in late June, while the aim by the end of the year is to harmonize all positions about further development of the project.

Expert teams of EPS have considered and assessed both technical and financial part of the Edison's offer and the technical offer is in line with everything that EPS seeks from a strategic partner, reads the statement.

Edison offers to optimize the technical solution by using ALSTOM's equipment and building two blocks of 375 MW each, with the net efficiency of 37 percent, while the equipment meets even the strictest environment protection criteria, pursuant to the domestic and European regulations.

The Italian Edison submitted on May 20, 2011, its bid for participation in the construction of Kolubara B steam power plant as a potential strategic partner of EPS in the implementation of that project.

The plan is that two blocks of 350 MW each be built within Kolubara B, where Nikola Tesla B steam power plant should get a new 700 MW block.

The total value of these projects is estimated at over EUR 2 billion.