The Chinese company China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) is threatening Serbia with a lawsuit in international arbitration worth USD 795 million due to years of delays in the construction of the Kostolac B3 thermal power plant. The Chinese believe that the four-year delay was not their fault, and that EPS is responsible. In case of a loss, Serbia intends to file a counterclaim for damage caused by the need to import electricity. If the case goes to arbitration, the project could cost Serbia $1.5 billion, including the $715 million already paid.
The Chinese side claims that the increase in costs is due to inflation, the coronavirus and the war in Ukraine, as well as changes in the scope of work by EPS. The main disagreement concerns the revision of prices that were stipulated in the 2013 contract, when the project was supposed to be completed in 2019.
Despite the completion of construction and commissioning of the facility in December 2024, negotiations on compensation have not been completed, as the Chinese company is demanding a revision of the contract price. The Chinese argue that inflation and changes in the design documents have led to additional costs, and also take into account problems with obtaining permits and the effects of the pandemic and war in Ukraine.
Serbia tried to negotiate, but the Chinese did not agree to a compromise and continued to seek compensation through arbitration. In the event of arbitration, China is expected to file a claim for an amount exceeding the original project amount.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/516
DTEK and China Machinery Engineering Corporation have signed a contract for the construction of a solar power plant with an installed capacity of 200 MW in Nikopol (Dnipropetrovsk region). DTEK Head Maksym Tymchenko told reporters the project cost is estimated at EUR230 million.
The construction of the facility is to be completed by the end of this year. It is planned from March 2019 to start electricity supply to the energy system of Ukraine.
“The 200 MW project is the beginning of the road. We have ambitious plans to build up to 1,000 MW of solar and wind power generation facilities by the end of 2019. The volume of investments for such projects will exceed EUR1 billion,” the DTEK head said.
Tymchenko did not disclose all the details of securing the financing of the project for the construction of a solar power plant, but noted that the company will invest tens of millions of euros in the project, while Chinese company’s investments will be secured by the Export Credit Agency of China.
The head of DTEK also said the company is also interested in CMEC technologies for reconstruction of coal-fired power units at thermal plants and their bringing to compliance with the EU emission standards.
