Serbia: Study on the peacetime application of nuclear energy is completed
The Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, stated today that the Preliminary Technical Study on the Peacetime Application of Nuclear Energy in Serbia has been completed
“The preliminary study is the first step that gives us guidance focusing on the necessary early steps and priority infrastructure issues in order to build a solid foundation for the efficient development of the nuclear program,” she said after a meeting with a delegation of the Electricity of France (Électricité de France – EDF), led by the company’s vice president for the development of the nuclear program Vaskis Ramani, where the conclusions of the Preliminary Technical Study, which was led by EDF, were presented.
According to her, recommendations were determined for each of the priority issues, time dynamics, opportunities for integration into our energy system and available market technologies were analyzed, the issue of staff training, relying on the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the significant experience of EDF as the world’s leading nuclear operator.
The minister stated that it is estimated that Serbia will need five to seven years to realize the first two phases of the development of the nuclear program, in accordance with the approach prescribed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“The first phase includes an examination of the justification of the approach to the development of nuclear energy before making a decision to launch a nuclear program, the establishment of a basic legal and regulatory framework, along with the formation of a body that will be responsible for the implementation of the nuclear energy program. The study integrated knowledge from three joint workshops of Serbian and French experts held in Belgrade at the end of last year and at the beginning of this year,” she said.
“The preliminary study is the first step that gives us guidance focusing on the necessary early steps and priority infrastructure issues in order to build a solid foundation for the efficient development of the nuclear program,” she said after a meeting with a delegation of EDF, led by the company’s vice president for the development of the nuclear program Vaskis Ramani, where the conclusions of the Preliminary Technical Study, which was led by EDF, were presented.
According to her, recommendations have been established for each of the priority issues, along with a timeline; the possibilities for integration into our energy system and the available market technologies have been analyzed, as well as the issue of workforce training, based on the guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the extensive experience of EDF as the world’s leading nuclear operator.
The minister stated that it is estimated that Serbia will need five to seven years to realize the first two phases of the development of the nuclear program, in accordance with the approach prescribed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“The first phase includes an examination of the justification of the approach to the development of nuclear energy before making a decision to launch a nuclear program, the establishment of a basic legal and regulatory framework, along with the formation of a body that will be responsible for the implementation of the nuclear energy program. The study integrated knowledge from three joint workshops of Serbian and French experts held in Belgrade at the end of last year and at the beginning of this year,” she said.
“The most important thing is whether and how our transmission system can integrate a nuclear plant. In each of the scenarios proposed by the study, the inclusion of nuclear reactors would not endanger our transmission network, according to preliminary estimates, which need to be confirmed by additional analyzes in the further process. In one of the scenarios after 2045, in addition to nuclear energy, we can also be a net exporter of electricity with significant decarbonization of the energy sector,” she said.
Đedović Handanović stated that according to the estimates of the French partners, about 30 million euros are needed to implement the first two phases of the nuclear program in the next five to seven years.
The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Serbia and EDF on establishing a framework for long-term dialogue in the field of energy transition and low-carbon technology was signed in Paris last year.
Source: N1
S.A.