ANTIC: There will be no restrictions

Aleksandar Antic (Photo: Mc.rs)

The Minster of Mining and Energy of Serbia, Aleksandar Antic, has said today that for sure safe energy supplying in Serbia will be provided and that the Government is considering different scenarios for potential problem solving in supplying.

- The Government of Serbia and the Ministry of Energy as well as all other companies enter responsibly the period which is ahead of us and which is full of challenges and there is defined systematic reply for every scenario – Antic said to journalists when touring the flooded Tamnava-west field within the Kolubara Mine Basin.

Antic said that electricity restriction are not option and that citizens do not have reasons to worry and doubt when it comes to supplying with other fuels as well.

He estimated that it would not be of interest of Ukraine to close the gas pipeline which delivered the Russia gas to Europe but he added that the Government of Serbia is considering that scenario as well.

- The underground gas warehouse in Banatski Dvor is filled to its maximum capacity and has 449 million cube meters of gas – he said.

Antic said that the warehouse is additionally filled through special methods so that by the end of August, 465 to 470 million cube meters of gas could be stored which is a historic maximum.

According to him, so far,i 1,2 mil tons of coal has been delivered to landfills of Obrenovac-based thermal power plant Nikola Tesla as well as 200.000 tons to the Kolubara Mine Basin.

The acting GM at the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS), Aleksandar Obradovic, said that “ energy stability stress tests” of Serbia have been in progress and that they are considering what should be done in gas crises scenario and other catastrophic scenarios.

He outlined EPS is considering three options: to provide sufficient coal quantities from Kolubara and Kostolac pit mines which is the most secure way but negotiations on electricity purchase are also ongoing and the option of coal supplying from the region if necessary.

- There will be no electricity restrictions. Electro energy system in Serbia is stable and it will remain to be so. We are doing all we can to step into the winter ready – Obradovic said.