Serbia has moved one step closer to evaluating nuclear energy as a long-term pillar of its power system after the French energy company EDF completed a preliminary study outlining the institutional and technical roadmap required for the country to develop a nuclear programme. The report, prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Mining and Energy of Serbia, identifies 19 critical steps that must be completed before Serbia could realistically move toward building a nuclear power plant.
The study does not constitute a decision to construct nuclear facilities. Instead, it provides a structured framework based on International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines describing the regulatory, institutional and technical prerequisites for countries entering nuclear power generation for the first time.
For Serbia, where electricity generation is still dominated by lignite-fired power plants operated by Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS), nuclear energy represents a strategic option tied to three long-term challenges: energy security, decarbonisation and electricity system stability.
Serbia’s electricity system faces structural transition
Serbia’s current power generation mix remains heavily dependent on coal. Lignite power plants account for roughly 65–70 percent of national electricity generation, making Serbia one of the most coal-dependent electricity systems in Europe.
The country operates several large lignite plants, including Nikola Tesla A and B near Obrenovac and the Kostolac complex, which together form the backbone of Serbia’s baseload generation capacity.
While these plants provide reliable electricity supply, they also face increasing pressure from European climate policy frameworks and the gradual expansion of carbon pricing mechanisms in regional electricity markets.
Serbia is also expanding renewable energy capacity through auctions and private investments in wind and solar projects. However, renewable generation introduces variability into the electricity system, increasing the importance of stable baseload generation.
In this context, nuclear energy is being examined as a long-term complement to renewable power rather than a direct replacement for coal.
EDF study outlines institutional roadmap
The EDF report identifies 19 preparatory actions required before Serbia could launch a nuclear programme. These recommendations align with the IAEA’s three-phase development model, which outlines the steps countries must take before building and operating nuclear power plants.
The first phase focuses on establishing a national policy framework and creating institutions responsible for nuclear governance. This includes drafting legislation, building regulatory bodies and developing safety oversight structures.
The second phase involves technical preparation, including site selection, grid integration analysis and feasibility studies for reactor technologies.
The final phase addresses project development and construction readiness.
Even under optimistic assumptions, completing the early phases alone could require five to seven years before construction of a nuclear power plant could begin.
Cost and financing realities
The financial dimension of nuclear energy remains one of the most significant challenges for Serbia.
Large conventional nuclear power plants typically require capital investment of €8 billion to €12 billion per unit, depending on technology, capacity and financing structure.
Such investment levels would represent one of the largest infrastructure commitments in Serbia’s economic history. Financing models would therefore likely require partnerships with international energy companies, export credit agencies and multilateral lenders.
Countries developing nuclear projects often rely on complex financial structures combining government guarantees, long-term power purchase agreements and state-backed financing mechanisms.
For Serbia, whose total GDP is approximately €70 billion, the scale of nuclear investment would require careful fiscal planning and international cooperation.
Small modular reactors as an alternative pathway
In recent years, growing attention has been directed toward small modular reactors (SMRs) as a potential alternative to large conventional nuclear plants.
SMRs are designed to produce electricity in smaller units, typically ranging from 50 MW to 300 MW per reactor, compared with 1,000 MW or more for traditional nuclear reactors.
These smaller units offer several potential advantages. They require lower upfront capital investment, can be constructed in modular stages and may be easier to integrate into smaller electricity systems.
For Serbia, whose peak electricity demand fluctuates around 7–8 gigawatts, SMR technology could represent a more flexible pathway toward nuclear generation.
However, most SMR technologies remain in early deployment stages globally, and commercial adoption at scale is still developing.
Nuclear as baseload complement to renewables
One of the key arguments in favour of nuclear energy is its ability to provide stable baseload electricity without carbon emissions.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are expected to expand significantly across Southeast Europe over the coming decades. Serbia itself has launched renewable energy auctions and is attracting private investment in wind and solar projects.
Yet the variability of renewable generation creates system balancing challenges. Nuclear power plants, which operate continuously at high capacity factors, can provide stable electricity output that supports grid reliability.
In this sense, nuclear energy could complement Serbia’s renewable expansion rather than compete with it.
Regional nuclear context
Several countries in Southeast Europe are already connected to nuclear power generation through regional electricity markets.
Romania operates the Cernavodă nuclear power plant, which supplies a significant share of the country’s electricity. Hungary operates the Paks nuclear plant, currently undergoing expansion through the Paks II project.
Serbia also receives indirect benefits from regional nuclear generation through electricity imports and interconnected power markets.
Developing its own nuclear capacity would therefore represent a strategic shift in Serbia’s energy policy, moving the country closer to the generation structures seen in Central European electricity systems.
Human capital and institutional capacity
Beyond financial considerations, nuclear energy development requires a highly specialised workforce and strong regulatory institutions.
Serbia would need to train engineers, nuclear safety specialists, regulatory inspectors and operational personnel capable of managing complex nuclear facilities.
Universities and research institutions would play a critical role in developing these competencies, potentially through partnerships with international nuclear technology providers.
Building such human capital infrastructure is one of the reasons nuclear programmes typically require long preparation periods before construction begins.
Political and regulatory challenges
Nuclear energy development also raises political and regulatory considerations.
Serbia currently maintains a moratorium on the construction of nuclear power plants, introduced after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 when the country was part of Yugoslavia.
Although discussions about revising the moratorium have intensified in recent years, any decision to pursue nuclear energy would require legislative changes and broad political consensus.
Public acceptance also remains an important factor, as nuclear energy projects often face strong societal debate.
Long-term energy strategy toward 2040
The EDF study arrives at a time when Serbia is reassessing its long-term electricity strategy.
The gradual decarbonisation of coal power plants, the expansion of renewable energy capacity and increasing electricity demand from economic growth all point toward a major transformation of the country’s energy system over the next two decades.
Under optimistic timelines, even if Serbia decided to proceed with nuclear energy development in the near future, a first nuclear power plant would likely not become operational before the mid-2030s.
This means nuclear energy would function primarily as a long-term strategic component of Serbia’s electricity mix rather than a short-term solution to current energy challenges.
Strategic implications for Southeast Europe
Serbia’s exploration of nuclear energy reflects broader trends across the European energy landscape. As countries seek to balance decarbonisation goals with energy security and electricity system stability, nuclear power is re-emerging as a potential option in several regions.
For Southeast Europe, where electricity demand is expected to grow and coal-based generation remains dominant, the introduction of nuclear energy could significantly reshape regional power markets.
Whether Serbia ultimately chooses to pursue nuclear power will depend on political decisions, financial feasibility and technological developments in the coming decade.
For now, the EDF study provides a roadmap outlining the complexity of such an undertaking — and highlights that entering the nuclear energy sector is less a single project than a long-term transformation of the country’s entire energy system.
