The construction of small hydropower plants in Serbia has proven to be not only environmentally and socially harmful, but also an almost energy inefficient project. Even though these power plants produce only about 1% of the total electricity in Serbia, the state generously rewards their owners – including people close to the government – while local communities suffer without any compensation. In the name of green energy, natural river flows have been diverted into pipelines, which has destroyed ecosystems, dried up rivers, damaged fauna and flora and sometimes even forced the local population to leave the area. Examples can be villages around Kopaonik or Golija.
Impact studies are being avoided, and the most valuable mountain streams remain unprotected. The government very often mentions comparison with Norway, which is misleading, because Serbia has drastically smaller water resources and is even among the countries with almost the smallest water resources in the Balkans. While China is massively eliminating small hydropower plants to protect ecosystems, Serbia continues to insist on a model that benefits only a handful of privileged investors and harms everyone else. Citizens and activists remain the last line of defense for natural resources, and the conclusion is clear: Small hydropower plants are not a solution to the environmental problem, but clear evidence of corruption and disregard for the public interest.
The article by Jelena Zorić was originaly published with the support of the project Enhancing the Capacities of Serbian Independent Media in Informing about the Green Transition Challenges by Vreme. You can read the original version in Serbian here.
