At this moment, it is ungrateful to predict the movement of prices at which energy and energy products will be purchased on the market next winter, as well as what kind of winter it will be.
The different assessments regarding whether the price of electricity in Serbia must rise as agreed with the International Monetary Fund or whether there will be an increase, as recently explained by the acting director of “Elektroprivreda Srbije” Dušan Živković, leave room for the conclusion that all can and does not have to. In the Ministry of Energy, when asked by “Politics” what will happen specifically with the price of electricity, they answer that the EPS should deal with the necessary analyzes for the next year, and the state must stick to the agreements reached in the arrangement with the IMF.
The situation with energy prices on the world market is relatively stable at the moment. The production in the hydroelectric power plants is normalized, there was a lot of rainfall in the previous months and the reservoirs are full, there is no drought like in 2022, although the high summer consumption has started. At this moment, it is ungrateful to predict the movement of prices at which energy and energy products will be purchased on the market next winter, as well as what kind of winter it will be, what will be the global demand for gas, whether production in the Republic of China will increase again, the relevant ministry emphasizes.
Gas storages are even better filled than last year and now we have more than 590 million cubic meters. The contract with Hungary for the storage of additional quantities of gas in that country has been extended, and we will continue to store there during the next winter, thus ensuring an uninterrupted supply. This year, we are completing the construction of a gas interconnection with Bulgaria, which will increase the capacity of gas that can be delivered to our country, but also enable supply from another direction. If there are corrections in electricity prices, they will be minimal – the Ministry of Energy says.
In response to the statement that the Minister of Energy Dubravka Đedović recently spoke with a delegation from Japan who showed interest in the reversible hydroelectric power plant “Bistrica”, the ministry says that Serbia already has experience in cooperation with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japanese companies on plant construction projects. for desulfurization in the “Nikola Tesla” thermal power plant. Now they have shown interest in cooperation on the construction project of RHE “Bistrica”.
The construction of “Bistrica” is a priority project in the initial foundations of the energy infrastructure development plan and energy efficiency measures, adopted by the Government of Serbia in May, and will play an important role in our efforts to increase energy production from renewable sources. We have formed a special project team and together with representatives of EPS, we will continue with the preparation of project and technical documentation. In parallel with the preparation of the environmental impact study and the design, it is important to continue discussions on securing financing, because we are talking about a large project with a power of 628 megawatts.
When it comes to the repeal of the decree on limiting the price of oil derivatives adopted on the basis of the Law on Trade, as well as the eventual termination of the validity of this decree, the government decides on the proposal of the ministry responsible for trade affairs. Farmers with agro-cards can buy Eurodiesel at all gas stations, but the price of 179 dinars per liter is binding only for the “Oil Industry of Serbia”.
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