Serbia launches nuclear programme preparation with French EDF support

Serbia has signed a cooperation agreement with France's state‑owned nuclear operator Électricité de France (EDF) and the French Development Agency (AFD) to begin the institutional phase of a civilian nuclear‑energy programme. The pact, signed by Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Đedović Handanović, focuses on building regulatory and organisational capacity, training engineers and safety specialists, and conducting technical studies.

EDF will deliver a preliminary technical assessment by 2025 and three additional studies, while a total of 14 studies are planned with other international partners, aiming for completion by mid‑2027. The French Development Agency is providing a €500,000 grant to support these activities. Serbia does not expect a reactor to be operational before 2040, with the first plant potentially built after that date, pending decisions on reactor type, site selection and financing.