The Government of Serbia has adopted a decision determining the procedure for selecting a strategic partner for the implementation of the project of building self-balanced large-capacity solar power plants with battery systems for electricity storage in Serbia.
The project will be developed, built and handed over to EPS on a turnkey basis. This means that the strategic partner, in addition to building solar power plants and battery systems for electricity storage, will be obliged to perform all other necessary activities, as well as to build all other infrastructure – the Government’s decision states.
The goals of this project, as stated, are the energy transition and the fulfillment of Serbia’s international obligations in accordance with the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources, responding to the current energy crisis in Europe, accompanied by extremely high prices of electricity and other energy sources, and eliminating the need to import electricity .
The strategic partner should prepare the technical documentation necessary for the implementation of the project, as well as prepare the ground for the installation of solar power plants and battery systems and build the necessary infrastructure.
The project consists of two components: solar power plants and battery systems. Solar power plants will have a total installed capacity of 1,000 MWac (or 1,200 MWdc). In order to ensure the greatest uniformity of electricity production, the total installed power must be distributed among five or more independent solar power plants.
The locations where the solar power plants will be located as well as the number and installed power of each individual solar power plant will be proposed by the strategic partner.
In order to achieve a higher production of electricity, especially in periods of the day when the price of energy is significantly higher than average (morning and afternoon hours), solar panels should be installed on systems with uniaxial tracking of the sun’s movement. Solar power plants, i.e. single-axis monitoring systems, should be equipped with software for optimal electricity production.
Also, EPS, as the owner of these power plants, should receive an appropriate software platform and professional knowledge to implement a quality short-term forecast of the production of these power plants.
Battery systems for the storage of electricity, with a total installed power of at least 200 MW and the ability to accumulate at least 400 MWh of electricity, will be deployed at one or more strategically important locations within the power system of Serbia.
The locations where the battery systems for electricity storage will be located will be proposed by the strategic partner. Battery systems should be equipped with appropriate software that will optimize the use of these facilities through the provision of system services and balancing services.
Given that EPS will be the full and sole owner of the project, all built production capacities and associated infrastructure, except for parts of the connection plant, which according to the regulations must be handed over to the transmission or distribution system operators, will be included in the production portfolio of EPS, it was stated in the decision.
All electricity produced by solar power plants and services provided by battery systems will be integrated into EPS operational plans. The decision on the termination of operation of solar power plants and battery systems, after the end of their economic life, will be made by the EPS.
The deadline for the realization of the project is from four to five years, and the decision states that the period for which the contract is concluded is from six to seven years. In order to realize this project, a Working Group was formed, whose president is the Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović.
The Tasks of the Working Group are to: draw up a public invitation, receive, review submitted documentation, carry out the bid evaluation procedure, draw up a contract proposal and submit to the Government for adoption a proposal for a decision on the selection of a strategic partner; after making the decision of the Government on the selection of a strategic partner, it conducts negotiations with the chosen strategic partner with the aim of concluding the contract; after the negotiations with the chosen strategic partner, it submits a report to the Government with a proposal to conclude the contract with the chosen strategic partner or for the Government to make another decision on the further procedure depending on the results of the negotiations – it is stated in the decision of the Government of Serbia.
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