Association Renewable Energy Sources of Serbia received the EPS charter for its outstanding contribution to the development of the Elektroprivreda Srbije. The prestigious award was presented to the manager of the Association, Danijela Isailović, at today’s ceremony in the Hotel Metropol in Belgrade, which marked the jubilee – 130 years of existence and work of the electrical industry.
Elektroprivreda Srbije has traditionally, since 1995, awarded the Charter with the “Đorđe Stanojević” plaque to individuals, companies, institutions and other organizations and collectives in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the development of Elektroprivreda Srbije. The award is presented in a ceremony on the Electroprivreda Day – October 6th.
– This Charter is a great honor for us, a public acknowledgment that we are doing good things in improving cooperation between the private and public sectors, as well as that we are an important and constructive factor in Serbia’s energy transition – said Danijela Isailović after receiving the prestigious plaque.
She reminded that the Association RES SERBIA was founded in early 2021 with the support of the EBRD. The founders are the three largest operating wind farms, and today the Association has almost 40 members.
– Our members produce more than 95% of green energy in Serbia. That percentage is high thanks to Elektroprivreda Srbije, which has been our regular member for more than two years. Even before EPS became a member of RES SERBIA, our position was that a successful energy transition is possible only if a strong EPS is a pillar of that work and a partner to the private sector. This is exactly what is happening, and we are happy to pass constructive suggestions and praise on behalf of EPS to partners from the EBRD, IFC and other international institutions. We are looking forward to the construction of VE Kostolac, SE Petka and RHE Bistrica and other green projects and we are available to support the green path of EPS – said the manager of RES SERBIA Danijela Isailović.
Dušan Živković, Acting CEO of the Joint Stock Company Elektroprivreda Srbije, at the ceremony to mark EPS Day, pointed out that the history of this company began with the first thermal power plant on Dorćol, continued with small hydroelectric plants, the first surface mines, while everything was raised to a higher level with the construction of large thermal and hydroelectric plants which are still the energy mainstay of Serbia today.
– Today, EPS is on the way to reforms, professionalization of business, and the goal is to be successful, efficient, profitable, so that in the future EPS will be one of the most important investors in the country and the most important energy company. We have started to change, it is inevitable, as we adapt to the times and circumstances both locally and globally. With the ideas and knowledge of the employees, which are the most important, EPS is the energy for the future – said Živković.
At the ceremony marking the 130th anniversary of the beginning and operation of the electric power industry, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, Minister of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia, pointed out that when we look back and look at all the people who contributed to the development of the Serbian power industry with their ideas, work and energy, there is a reason to be proud .
– However, we all look more to the future than to the past, and we are all interested in what EPS will be like in the years and decades ahead. We initiated reforms with the plan that Elektroprivreda Srbije remains our most important and valuable company, to be even more efficient and modern, and one of the leaders in the region and will be an example for other companies in the power sector – said Đedović Handanović.
In addition to RES SERBIA manager Danijela Isailović, the highest EPS award, the charter with the “Đorđe Stanojević” plaque, was awarded to Staniša Paunović, former director of the hydroelectric power plant “Đerdap”, Slaviša Đukić, director of the Electricity Coordination Center and Jasmina Vulović on behalf of the German Development Bank. The Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, was presented with a certificate of appreciation for her support in the development and modernization of EPS.
Acting CEO presented monographs on the occasion of 130 years of EPS to current and former employees: Tatjana Anđelić, Slobodan Marković, Toša Zabrac, Miloš Popović, Gojko Bajić, Miodrag Brčerević, Jadranka Ristić and Saša Cvetković.
On behalf of the former and current employees, mining engineer Slobodan Marković, former assistant director for investments in RB “Kolubara”, expressed his thanks.
– While I was working as a miner in “Kolubara”, and even now, in the fifth year of retirement, I am proud because, together with my colleagues, I was part of a large and strong collective which, for more than a century, struggling with numerous adversities and challenges, managed to become and remain the mainstay of the state – said Marković.
EPS Day is traditionally celebrated on October 6th, because on that date in 1893, the first Serbian power plant on Dorćol was put into operation. This date is also considered the beginning of the development of the Serbian power industry.
Photo: EPS