Coal shortage to cut power supply by 30 percent come winter

BELGRADE - The power station Nikola Tesla (TENT) in Obrenovac will produce about 30 percent less power than planned once winter starts as the result of the recent floods and a reduction in coal deliveries, station head Cedomir Ponocko has said.

"TENT is ready for the winter, but there will be a shortage of coal," he told reporters at the Czech embassy in Belgrade, where an equipment donation to Serbia's power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) was presented.

Between 40,000 t and 45,000 t of coal from the Kolubara mines are delivered to TENT daily and the quantity should reach 65,000 t in a month, which is enough for around 60 percent of the maximum output, he stated, adding that normal deliveries in winter were at around 90,000 t a day.

There will be no problems during the summer, but once consumption goes up in October and November, TENT will not be able to provide the projected quantities of electricity, he said, adding that EPS's business plan would be reviewed because of the floods.

TENT is insured with Wiener Stadtische and expects the damage caused by the floods to be covered by the insurance company, he pointed out.

The damage on the power station Kolubara alone, which is part of the TENT company and where an explosion and fire occurred because of the floods, is estimated at around EUR 4-5 million, he said.

The damage on TENT B is the biggest on its pumps and motors that are located underground, but that has been repaired, said Ponocko, adding that the greatest damage was caused by not delivering power.

"One one TENT thermal block is offline, the daily losses are around EUR 200,000," he remarked.

Photo Tanjug/R. Prelic (archive)