Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović from the Ministry of Mining and Energy held discussions today with Masahiro Ueki, the chief representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) office in the Balkans, focusing on the financing and construction of the reversible hydropower plant (RHE) in Bistrica. They announced the commencement of preparatory works for next year.

This project holds significant importance in the energy sector, as highlighted in Serbia’s “Leap into the Future – Serbia 2027” program.

Minister Đedović Handanović emphasized that this RHE marks the first of its kind to be constructed in over three decades, as stated by the Ministry of Mining and Energy. With a capacity of 628 MW, this hydropower plant is crucial for energy balancing and storage, ensuring sufficient electricity supply in the foreseeable future. The technical documentation will be finalized by the end of the year, paving the way for preparatory works to begin next year.

Masahir Ueki, the representative of JICA in the Balkans, expressed hopes for continued successful cooperation between Serbia and Japan in the energy sector, emphasizing the vital role of RHE Bistrica in ensuring supply security and decarbonizing Serbia’s energy sector.

Furthermore, it was mentioned that the Concept Design and Feasibility Study have been completed, while work on the Spatial Plan of the Special Purpose Area, the Environmental Impact Assessment Study, and the Study on the Protection of Immovable Cultural Assets for the Bistrica Reversible Hydroelectric Power Plant project is underway.

The decision to initiate the preparatory study by the Japanese Agency for International Cooperation for the construction of RHE Bistrica was formalized after the official visit of Japan’s parliamentary deputy minister of foreign affairs, Yasushi Hosaka. This visit coincided with the commissioning of the flue gas desulphurization plant at TENT A, a successful project implemented in collaboration with JICA.