Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanovic, has held talks with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) on cooperation linked to the country’s energy transition, with a focus on nuclear energy in Serbia.
Đedović Handanovic mentioned the current cooperation agreement Serbia has with France’s state-owned utility EDF, adding that it already contains an agreement for preparatory technical researches regarding peaceful use of nuclear energy.
“Given that Serbia needs new sources of base energy, due to the growth of electricity consumption and the need for decarbonisation, we have sent a request to AFD (Agence Française de Développement) for support in the first phase of the nuclear programme … which includes support in the development of professional staff and assessment of the impact of nuclear power plants on the transmission network,” she said.
“Given that France is recognised as a country that has extensive experience in nuclear energy, Serbia finds their experience very useful. We are discussing the continuation of cooperation with EDF in the implementation of the first phase of the development of the nuclear programme, which includes the training of personnel and informing the general public about the potential application of nuclear energy in Serbia.”
According to the energy ministry, the next steps include preparing a dedicated study on AFD’s role in supporting nuclear energy in Serbia, alongside cooperation in energy efficiency. “With the technical support of the AFD, we will also work on long-term planning of the energy transition, in line with the goals we have set for 2050,” the minister added.
Serbia’s National Assembly amended the energy law in December 2024, lifting a 35-year ban on the construction of nuclear power plants. In October 2024, EDF and engineering consultancy Egis were awarded a contract to conduct a preliminary technical study on nuclear power use in the country. Serbia has also held discussions with Rosatom on non-energy nuclear applications and explored acquiring a minority stake in Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant.
President Aleksandar Vučić said at the 2024 Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels that Serbia aims to secure support for financing and expertise to reach 1,200 MW of capacity from small modular reactors.
AFD stated that it finances projects designed to support “a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable future,” with a focus on responsible solutions to climate and development challenges.