Brnabic said that the construction of the new block "Kostolac B3" was the biggest investment in the domestic energy sector in the last three decades.
She also announced that she will meet with the Premier of China in Budapest to sign two new contracts – on the construction of the Obrenovac-Belgrade heating plant and on the construction of Corridor 11 Preljina-Pozega.
Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic pointed out that this is a significant day for Serbia, which shows that we are continuing the work on developing its power system, but also that we have all the prerequisites for economic growth.
We have all the permits and this will be the most modern plant according to the highest ecological standards. That is, after three decades, the largest building we are building in Serbia, and the energy sector is the sector with the highest investments, which is worth almost €3 billion, said the Minister.
He said that the energy system in Serbia is stable, and that today there are about a thousand megawatts in Serbia, which shows the energy independence of our country.
Acting Director General of EPS Milorad Grcic pointed out that this is a great day not only for the Electric Power Company of Serbia, but for the entire economy in the country, because the entire region is now becoming a large and active construction site, and the new block will mark the expansion of EPS's capacity for five percent.
The total value of the investment is, as he pointed out, $715 million, with both blocks of the Kostolac Thermal Power Plant being modernised, and the desulphurization process was successfully completed.
Vice President of Chinese Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) Tong Zigang said that this company will respect Serbian laws as well as local customs.
Ambassador of China in Serbia Li Mangang conveyed the congratulations of the representatives of the Chinese Parliament on the occasion of the beginning of this project.