Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, announced that Serbia is actively seeking top-tier global partners in various fields, with French electricity company EDF being the world’s largest nuclear operator and possessing unparalleled expertise across the entire lifecycle of nuclear power plants. In an interview with Večernje novosti, she highlighted that the cooperation documents in nuclear energy were signed with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and French President Emmanuel Macron present during their recent meetings in Paris and Belgrade. This underscores the importance of nuclear energy in the broader scope of bilateral relations.
“With the signing of the Memorandum, which establishes a framework for long-term dialogue on energy transition, we have also signed an agreement to assess the potential for developing a nuclear energy program in Serbia,” stated Đedović Handanović.
She emphasized that the signing of the Memorandum in July with representatives from five ministries, 20 universities, research institutions, and energy companies marks a crucial step in consolidating the domestic expert and scientific community on nuclear energy.
“We anticipate that EDF will support us primarily through the exchange of knowledge and experience to enhance domestic expertise, as well as provide technical assistance in creating the legislative framework for nuclear energy,” Đedović Handanović added.
Regarding the benefits of nuclear energy for Serbia, she explained that “from the initial decisions on nuclear plant construction to its operational launch, it will take at least 10 years.” “Therefore, considering nuclear energy is not just about addressing the current energy needs but is also part of planning how we will meet the energy demands of our citizens and economy 15 to 25 years from now, especially with anticipated reductions in coal production and increasing energy requirements due to industrial growth, digitalization, and artificial intelligence,” the minister concluded.
