The Serbian Parliament has adopted amendments to the Law on Energy, which include a Nuclear Energy Development Program and the lifting of the moratorium on nuclear energy, allowing for the potential construction of a nuclear power plant in the country.
The changes aim to strengthen Serbia’s energy security during its transition to cleaner energy sources, align domestic energy regulations with EU standards and improve the overall functioning of the energy system. While the law’s broader goals are significant, the part related to nuclear energy development has garnered the most attention.
The Nuclear Energy Development Program is outlined in three phases. The first phase involves preparing foundational documents, including technical, legal and economic analyses, as well as assessing the impact of nuclear energy on economic development, energy security and the environment. The second phase includes determining Serbia’s objectives for nuclear energy participation, preparing regulatory frameworks for nuclear waste management, and conducting studies on potential locations for a plant. This phase concludes with the adoption of a strategy for peaceful nuclear energy use in Serbia.
The final phase, which will be governed by a special law, will focus on the design, construction and operation of a nuclear facility. On the day the new law takes effect, the long-standing moratorium on nuclear power, which had prohibited nuclear power plant construction since 1989, will be lifted.
Critics, such as lawyer Rodoljub Šabić, have raised concerns about the lack of expert consultation and parliamentary discussion on the amendments. He highlighted the absence of professional input during the law’s drafting process and criticized the chaotic parliamentary session during which the law was adopted.
In related developments, Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on nuclear energy development earlier this year, aimed at connecting government ministries, academic institutions, and energy companies to explore nuclear energy’s role in the country. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić also recently announced that the moratorium would be lifted, reigniting discussions about building a nuclear power plant in Serbia.
Nuclear energy is already widely used across Europe, with the largest nuclear power plant in Europe located in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. Several neighboring countries, including Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovenia, also operate nuclear reactors.
