Tadić urges "free electricity" for poor households

Serbian President Boris Tadic toured southern Serbia on Wednesday and met with representatives of local emergency teams in the municipality of Crna Trava. They informed him about the situation on the ground in the municipality - one of the most affected by heavy snowfall and low temperatures, and also one of Serbia's poorest. Tadic urges "free electricity" for poor households Tadic said that the poorest households should be exempted from payment of electricity for the month of February, but at the same time urged citizens to save electric energy. He added said that in such difficult circumstances, "electricity should not be turned cut off to anyone" and that the competent authorities must ensure that the power system functions the best possible way in these conditions. The most important thing is to maintain the electric power network, he said. Everyone should assume their share of responsibility and the citizens and institutions should save as much as possible, Tadic reiterated in the Zlatance village, Crna Trava municipality. Tadic also told reporters he was satisfied with the response of the state institutions at the onset of the current cold wave. According to him, there are about 100,000 poor households in Serbia with some 300,000 people: "Today I asked the government, considering what I've seen, to give a 100-percent discount to their electricity bills for the month of February". Tadic again urged Serbians to save electricity, and "those who use it to decorate their advertisements and government and municipal buildings, to lower their consumption while this situation persists". Tadic in Crna Trava on Wednesday (Tanjug) EPS can sustain production "for 7 to 10 more days" Also on Wednesday, Serbia's state electric power company EPS said that it will be able to continue to supply electricity without power cuts for the next seven to ten days if high consumption continued. EPS General Director Dragomir Markovic noted that "EPS has no more options to increase electricity production, nor the technical capabilities to increase import, which has reached its maximum". He appealed on consumers to conserve electricity, "as that is the only way to maintain the stability of the energy system at the moment". Reducing consumption by just seven percent would preserve system stability, Markovic said. Noting that EPS was "doing everything do avoid power cuts", he said the company's workers have been working in extremely difficult conditions - including in coal pits where temperatures fell to as low as minus 17 degrees centigrade. Tanjug

Tadić urges "free electricity" for poor households

Tadić said that the poorest households should be exempted from payment of electricity for the month of February, but at the same time urged citizens to save electric energy.

He added said that in such difficult circumstances, "electricity should not be turned cut off to anyone" and that the competent authorities must ensure that the power system functions the best possible way in these conditions.

The most important thing is to maintain the electric power network, he said.

Everyone should assume their share of responsibility and the citizens and institutions should save as much as possible, Tadić reiterated in the Zlatance village, Crna Trava municipality.

Tadić also told reporters he was satisfied with the response of the state institutions at the onset of the current cold wave.

According to him, there are about 100,000 poor households in Serbia with some 300,000 people:

"Today I asked the government, considering what I've seen, to give a 100-percent discount to their electricity bills for the month of February".

Tadić again urged Serbians to save electricity, and "those who use it to decorate their advertisements and government and municipal buildings, to lower their consumption while this situation persists".

EPS can sustain production "for 7 to 10 more days"

Also on Wednesday, Serbia's state electric power company EPS said that it will be able to continue to supply electricity without power cuts for the next seven to ten days if high consumption continued.

EPS General Director Dragomir Marković noted that "EPS has no more options to increase electricity production, nor the technical capabilities to increase import, which has reached its maximum".

He appealed on consumers to conserve electricity, "as that is the only way to maintain the stability of the energy system at the moment".

Reducing consumption by just seven percent would preserve system stability, Marković said.

Noting that EPS was "doing everything do avoid power cuts", he said the company's workers have been working in extremely difficult conditions - including in coal pits where temperatures fell to as low as minus 17 degrees centigrade.