Serbia to open refinery to other firms to secure fuel supplies
Serbia will make part of its sole NIS oil refinery available to other domestic oil firms to secure supplies in August because of high demand and record-low water levels in the Danube river, Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Wednesday.
Serbia's fuel imports fell to 25% of their monthly target in July as low Danube water levels in Hungary, Serbia and Romania forced barges and tankers to operate at 30% to 40% of their cargo capacity.
"Together with representatives of NIS and the Association of Oil Companies of Serbia, we have analyzed all measures to respond to the increased demand in August," Handanovic said, adding that state oil reserves will be preserved for extreme emergency.
The low levels of the Danube have affected other Serbian energy facilities such as the coal-fired Kostolac power plants, where a lack of water disrupted cooling systems, leading to lower output.
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