The Debate on a Nuclear Energy Roadmap Continues in Serbia
Earlier this month, a preliminary technical study on the peaceful use of nuclear energy in Serbia was presented in Belgrade, providing a roadmap for the potential development of a national nuclear programme.
Prepared by the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy in cooperation with a consortium of French companies led by EDF (ENS Corporate Member), the document identifies three phases and 19 key infrastructure areas required to establish a nuclear programme, in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency approach.
This comes as the growing electricity demand will require additional stable and low-carbon sources in Serbia. In this context, nuclear energy is presented as a contributor to energy security, system stability and decarbonization, with national scenarios envisaging up to 1,000 MW of nuclear capacity after 2040.
More specifically, the roadmap outlines a preparatory phase covering regulation, human resources, financing and stakeholder engagement. This phase is expected to continue until around 2027, enabling an informed governmental decision. In parallel, further steps are planned in the coming years, with Serbia aiming to select a technology by 2032 and connect a nuclear power plant to the grid around 2040.
The Serbian Nuclear Society (SND – ENS Member Society) took part in discussions surrounding these developments. On this occasion, Koviljka Stanković, SND President, stated:
Entering a nuclear program is not the result of a single political decision – it is a long-term process based on expert analysis, international standards, and broad societal consensus
highlighting that the country remains at an early stage of reflection and that further efforts will be required.
Read more on Serbian Nuclear Society Press Release (in English and Serbian).
While Serbia still relies on coal for around 70% of its electricity generation, its renewed interest in nuclear energy follows a major policy shift in 2024, when the Serbian National Assembly lifted a moratorium on nuclear power plant construction introduced in 1989 following the Chernobyl accident.
Against a backdrop of decarbonization objectives, nuclear energy has therefore been reintroduced as an option in national strategies, including the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan (INEKP).
At the same time, institutional and stakeholder engagement has progressed. In July 2024, the Serbian Nuclear Society was among the signatories of a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy development in Serbia, bringing together five ministries and more than 20 academic institutions, research institutes and energy companies.
