Kolubara B TPP

cancelled

Translated version of this PSD: Serbian The EBRD is at the preliminary stage of considering the financing for the construction of the new 750 MW Kolubara B lignite fired power plant in central Serbia that would replace a number of obsolete power generation units in the country. As a signatory to the Energy Community Treaty, Serbia is committed to comply with EU environmental standards for the energy sector by the end of 2017. EPS, the Serbian state owned power utility, is actively working to rehabilitate and improve existing power plants to ensure that they comply with the EU's environmental standards by this deadline, but a number of plants will have to be closed. The Serbian government and EPS therefore initiated a tender process to select a private investor to construct, finance and operate 750 MW of replacement capacity at the Kolubara B site next to the Kolubara lignite mining basin, 40 kilometres from Belgrade. Following an international tender procedure the Italian utility Edison submitted a bid, which was accepted, and accordingly signed a joint venture agreement with EPS on the development of the Kolubara B project in June 2011. The Project would be the first significant private sector investment in Serbia's power generation sector. The transition impact potential for the Project stems primarily from the following: Project Company to be owned by Edison Spa (Italy) and Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS). The EBRD is considering arranging financing of up to €400 million to the Project Company through the use of the Bank’s A/B loan structure and/or by parallel loans from commercial lenders. To be determined. The Project will be an A-category project for the purposes of the Bank's Environmental and Social Policy. It will therefore require a comprehensive Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and extensive public consultation, taking into account the views of all stakeholders. This project is at a very preliminary stage and the environmental and social due diligence has not yet started. This PSD will be updated and expanded once EBRD has determined the scope of the due diligence.