During the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council in Baku, Assistant Minister of Mining and Energy for Oil and Gas, Saša Koković, emphasized the importance of energy security and cooperation between Serbia and Azerbaijan.
He highlighted that energy security is a matter of national safety and resilience to geopolitical risks. Recent years have shown that security of supply can be ensured through the diversification of sources and routes, as well as through strong regional cooperation.
Speaking about bilateral cooperation, Koković particularly emphasized the strategic importance of Azerbaijan.
“Results of the cooperation achieved so far are reflected in signed agreements in the field of energy, with a focus on natural gas, renewable energy sources, and the exchange of experience in the application of new technologies. The latest agreement on the design, construction, and management of a 500 MW gas power plant confirms the strong foundation of energy cooperation between our countries,” Koković said.
The power plant near Niš will produce 350 MW of electricity and 150 MW of thermal energy, with significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to conventional coal-fired thermal power plants.
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Koković added that during 2024, the first year of gas cooperation between Serbia and Azerbaijan, 113.7 million cubic meters of gas were delivered, while last year the volume increased to 253.9 million cubic meters, with a further upward trend expected this year.
“In discussions with representatives of the company SOCAR, we are considering increasing deliveries to 1.4 billion cubic meters annually, by the completion of the gas power plant in Niš planned for 2030,” the assistant minister stated.
Regarding regional cooperation, Koković recalled that gas interconnections with Hungary and Bulgaria, as well as the planned ones with Romania and North Macedonia, enable bidirectional flows and greater system flexibility, as well as the possibility of hydrogen transport in the future.
“In this way, we are building a regional network that increases the stability of all our energy systems. For Serbia, access to LNG terminals is also important, as they expand the range of supply sources, especially during periods of increased consumption and market instability,” Koković concluded.
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