A major EU-funded energy project which started last April, to build a 400 kV overhead power line from Nis to Serbia’s southern border, has gained new impetus with input of a further €20 million
A contract for this amount was signed on 18 September between the European Agency for Reconstruction, Elektromreža Srbije (EMS) and the Spanish contractor Instalaciones Inabensa.
A more secure electricity supply – not just for southern Serbia, but for the entire region stretching from Serbia to Greece, is the aim of the project which was launched last April. Then, the European Agency for Reconstruction and EMS signed a contract worth €6.9 million to build the first phase of the 140.5-km overhead power line. The new line will cross nine Serbian municipalities, through some rugged terrain: 427 new towers will be erected, using a total of 4,500 tons of steel, and over 60,000 insulators will be installed. An existing transformer station (Leskovac 2) will be enlarged, and a completely new one (Vranje 4) will be built.
This €20 million contract was the last major energy contract to be signed by the E.A.R. before it closes in December 2008. It is part of the extensive assistance given by the EU to the Serbian energy sector: since 2001, a total of nearly €450 million had been provided – for the rehabilitation of power plants and coal mines, for example. Of this, €50 million had been spent on construction and repair of overhead lines and transformer and other equipment for the transmission sector. In addition, the E.A.R. strongly supported the EMS from its beginning as an independent operator three years ago.A
European funds
