Soon exploitation of underwater coal mine Kovin?

Executive Council of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (APV) made the decision that the expert council should be formed urgently. That council should elaborate the project within 15 days for exploitation of underwater coal mine in Kovin. The results of the latest researches showed that, in the broad area of the mine and its deeper parts, there are preconditions for discovery of new deposits estimated to about 170 - 180 million tons, which, together with the quantity that has already been researched, makes total of about 400 million tons of quality lignite.

Trial coal exploitation on this deposit is carried out according to world-unique underwater exploitation method developed by domestic experts. On the basis of collected data, it was proved that there is possibility of economic underwater coal exploitation and database on new mining technology has been created. In general, it can be concluded that, at the end of development period, underwater exploitation can be modern, highly productive and economic without any negative impacts on environment.

According to some analyses, if some additional researches confirmed that coal exploitation does not influence regime of subterranean waters and does not endanger sources for regional water supply of Banat, the conditions for construction of steam power plant of capacity of three times 210 MW could be created.

The plan for realization of all these activities on construction of power supply complex in Kovin was designed and delivered to Directorate for Development and Investments of EPS. Activities include further improvement of underwater exploitation, construction of strip mine and Steam Power Plant Kovin.