As another hot summer approaches, experts are increasingly warning that the Balkan electricity system could face a major test. High electricity consumption, pressure on the grid, and a growing reliance on renewable energy sources—whose production depends on sun and wind—create new challenges for supply stability. Last year’s power outages in some regional countries serve as serious warnings, and the recent system collapse affecting millions in southern Europe has heightened concerns. The key question is whether a similar event could happen in Serbia and how resilient its energy network is.
The Greek Institute for Energy Southeast Europe has issued warnings about the risk of large-scale power outages in the Balkans during summer. However, energy expert Željko Marković told Euronews Serbia that he would not dare to make such predictions, noting Serbia has not experienced significant summer problems for years. He explained that Greece, being at the edge of the system and connected mainly to Turkey, faces more complex challenges. Serbia, in contrast, is well connected with neighboring countries like Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Hungary, which provides good system stability.
Marković pointed out that last August’s one-day blackout in the Balkans, caused by a failure in Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia, did not affect Serbia. Protective measures isolated Serbia from the affected part of the system, and exchanges with other countries ensured stability. He emphasized that system safety relies on many technical procedures and cooperation across European electricity networks, which have multiple layers of protection against instabilities caused by imbalances between production and consumption.
The Greek institute identifies the high share of renewable energy as a vulnerability, citing the variability of sources like solar and wind power. Marković explained that these sources are unpredictable—wind may stop suddenly, and cloudy weather reduces solar output—creating challenges for stable energy supply. Moreover, peak solar production occurs during midday, while peak electricity consumption in Serbia is in the evening, when solar energy contribution is minimal.
Serbia’s renewable energy share is about 40%, including large hydroelectric plants, which are more predictable and manageable compared to solar and wind. Marković stressed that hydropower production can be forecasted days ahead, making it less of a problem for grid stability. The blackout in Spain, where renewables accounted for over 70% of production (mostly solar and wind), illustrates how sudden drops in renewable output can trigger system failures.
The current electricity system was designed for traditional power plants with large rotating generators that provide system inertia, stabilizing frequency. Renewable sources, connected differently to the grid, lack this inertia, which can cause instability. However, technical solutions and new equipment are being developed to allow renewable units to mimic traditional generators’ inertia, improving system reliability.
Marković mentioned ongoing work on introducing new technologies like GFM inverters, which offer greater functionality than the currently used GFL types. These standards are expected to be adopted across Europe by the end of the year, improving grid stability without significantly increasing costs. The transition requires careful implementation to avoid new instabilities during the adjustment period.
Additionally, the International Monetary Fund has warned that rising energy consumption driven by artificial intelligence (AI) development will add further pressure to energy systems. Marković noted that AI algorithms demand enormous computing power, significantly increasing electricity use. Modern data centers in the US have become some of the largest electricity consumers, with plans even to build modular nuclear reactors solely to power them.
As data centers continue to expand worldwide, electricity demand is expected to grow substantially. Combined with the ongoing electrification of transport, this trend underscores the urgent need to build sufficient energy capacity to avoid future shortages.
