Water pump down from Kolubara’s pit mine Tamnava - Zapadno polje starts

(Photo: Suzana Obradović)

Today, the Mine Basin Kolubara has started water pump down from the Tamnava-Zapadno polje and the Minister of Energy, Aleksandar Antićc, said that the government did its best to stabilize energy system as well as they are not planning electricity restrictions.

Companies which were selected at the tender for water pump down from the Tamanava – Zapad pit mine, Novi Sad-based Energotehnika Juzna Backa and Romanian SC NESS Proiect Europa SRL, have started this morning pumping down water from the biggest Kolubara pit mine into the Kolubara river.

Deadline for the works completion is 90 days and the World Bank will fund the pump down through the loan of EUR 15 m.

- We did not plan electricity restrictions but I am inviting citizens to save electricity since the energy system situation is very difficult – Antic outlined.

The Tamnava - Zapadno polje pit mine in the Mine Basin Kolubara was flooded in the May floods when the Kolubara river overflew and when it practically turned into an artificial lake. Therefore, coal production for the needs of the Nikola tesla thermal power plant was halted.

There is about 167 million cubic of water at the Tamnava - Zapadno polje pit mine and in the previous period Kolubara itself pumped down more than 20 million. Contractors should pump down the remaining water quantity.

GM at Energotehnike Juzna Backa, Dragoljub Zbiljic, said that the works will be carried out in 90 days as planned and that potential rainfalls will not seriously endanger water pump down.