The culture of memory

120 years of electrification of Serbia

November 14, 11:33 p.m

Electricity arrived for the first time on September 23, 1893, when the first thermal power plant on Dorćol started operating, which supplied the city's public lighting in Belgrade

Multi-oil circuit breaker Type CG4 «Merlin Guerin»
35 KV, 500A, 50Hz
Inv. no. T: 84.8.71
A gift from "Elektrodistribucije Pancevo"
Dimensions: 158x97x215 cm
Collection of the Electrical Industry Department of the Museum of Science and Technology in Belgrade

An exhibition on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the beginning of the electrification process in Serbia was opened at the Museum of Science and Technology in Belgrade.

The author of the exhibition, Zorica Civrić, the senior curator of the Museum of Science and Technology and the author of the installation, designer Marko Jovanović, set up the exhibition in three parts. The first unit follows the course of electrification, which did not flow evenly.

Until the mid-20s of the XNUMXth century, the power stations mostly worked in the evening hours in the summer, and in the winter in the early hours of the morning "from dusk to dawn", Civrić states in the announcement.

The exhibition, which will be open until the end of the year, shows what the beginning of the electrification of Serbia looked like on September 23, 1893, when the first thermal power plant on Dorćol started operating, supplying the city's public lighting in Belgrade.

By 1931, almost all cities in Serbia were electrified, and by 1945, almost all towns.

Electrification was completed in the early eighties of the 20th century, and Elektrodistribucija Pirot was the first to achieve 100 percent electrification in the area of that municipality.

Dorđe Stanojević, the astronomer who electrified Serbia

Dorđe Stanojević, the astronomer who electrified Serbia, was born on April 7, 1858, in Negotin, in the family of the prominent merchant Miloš. He finished elementary school and junior high school there. In Belgrade, at the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Great School, he studied physics and astronomy and graduated in 1881.

In the period from 1883 to 1887, he studied, specialized, worked and visited the most famous European astronomical and meteorological observatories and institutions: in Berlin (University), Potsdam (Astrophysical Observatory), Hamburg (Meteorological Center), Paris (Paris Observatory for physical astronomy in Medon, Sorbonne), Greenwich, Kew and Pulkovo. In 1886 and 1887, he was in Medon, where he worked with the founder of the observatory in that place, Gilles Jeansen, after he decided on astrophysics and chose solar physics as his scientific field.
In 1887, after returning to the country, he became a professor of physics and mechanics at the Military Academy, and in 1893, after the retirement of Kosta Alković, a professor of experimental physics at the Great School, where he founded the Institute of Physics, which he headed until his death in 1921.

From July 1899 to October 1900, Stanojević headed the Belgrade Astronomical and Meteorological Observatory. In the period from 1909 to 1913, he was the dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, and from 1913 to 1921, the rector of the University of Belgrade. He died suddenly of a heart attack on December 24, 1921, on the street in Paris, where he was staying to study some solutions in aviation technology and take over airplanes for agricultural purposes.

Đorđe Stranojević is also involved in solving the problem of lighting in Belgrade. The capital of Serbia received public gas lighting for the first time in 1865, when two such lanterns were purchased and placed in front of the municipal building on Terazije.

As early as 1884, there were several hundred of them. At that time, the Municipal Committee of the City of Belgrade formed a "special commission with the task of submitting an opinion on what kind of lighting in the capital of the world should be: electric - which was advocated by Stanojević, or gas - which was advocated by the chemist Marko Leko. Thanks to the efforts of Đorđe Stanojević and his inspired speech to the members of the Commission, a decision was made on the electric lighting of the city. In the report of the Commission signed by Nikola Pašić as president, it is stated: "Belgrade, which aspires to become a turning point between East and West, cannot remain unlit." Belgrade, as the closest to the west among all the eastern cities, must adopt the lighting that science has declared to be the best in every respect. Belgrade, as the capital, must be illuminated in the capital." September 23, 1893 is taken as the day when Belgrade received electric lighting, when it was officially established that "the first phase of the construction of the lighting of the city of Belgrade was completed and that the electric power plant with the network was officially launched in work". It also made it possible for the first electric tram to start running on the Terazije - Topcider route in 1894, just six years after the first started in Richmond, America.
The electrification of Serbia began with the construction of the Belgrade thermal power plant, and Đorđe Stanojević played a key role there. Mateja Nenadović, the grandson of proto Mateja, wanted to build a thermal power plant in Valjevo based on the one in Belgrade and asked Stanojević for help. He proposed to him to build a hydroelectric plant and Nenadović agreed to use his mill on the river Gradac for it. It was completed and put into operation in 1899.

Stanojević's friendship with Nikola Tesla was of great importance for the electrification of Serbia. He was one of the organizers of Tesla's only stay in Belgrade. He accompanied Tesla, who came to Belgrade on June 1, 1892, from Pest and escorted him back to that city. In 1894, he published the book "Nikola Tesla and his discoveries".
This friendship probably contributed to Stanojević proposing to the citizens of Užice to build a hydroelectric plant based on Tesla's polyphase alternating current system. They wanted to build a new mechanical workshop where the machines would be powered by water, but Stanojević explained to them that, if they built a hydroelectric plant, they could build the workshop anywhere in the city and not on expensive land by the river, and it would have electric lighting at the same time. It was put into trial operation on August 2, 1900.
It was the first application of Tesla's polyphase system in Serbia, only five years after the construction of the first such power station in Niagara Falls. A transmission line with a length of 1 km and seven transformer stations were also built.

In his book about the electrical industry in Serbia (with a dedication to Nikola Tesla), Stanojević writes: "The waterfall that has the most power in it is without a doubt the waterfall of Vučjanski potok, near the village of Vučja, about 17 km away from Leskovac." In that place, the water falls in several jumps... from a height of more than 100 m. At the request of several prominent citizens of Leskovac, I studied the issue of bringing that power to Leskovac and found that it could be done in a relatively easy way... It goes without saying that three-phase electricity would be used. The generators would directly provide a current of five to seven thousand volts, so the current would be transmitted without further transformation through three copper conductors of 19 sq. mm section with a loss of 17 percent to Leskovac." Memorial room in the museum in Negotin. They started in Vucja in February 1903 and were finished at the end of February 1904, so that on March 1, Leskovac would get electric lighting. The length of the transmission line was about 17 km. This switchboard has been operating for more than a hundred years.

In February 2005, the Executive Committee of the world's largest association of engineers in the field of electrical engineering, electronics, telecommunications and related fields IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) decided to include this hydroelectric power plant in the list of facilities, inventions and achievements of general importance for development and history of electrical engineering in the world.

Stanojević participates in the construction of electrical power stations throughout Serbia. In June 1902, on his initiative, the Zaječar Electric Company was founded for the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on Crni Timok in Gamzigradska Banja. Although it fell apart due to a misunderstanding between the founders, it was later rebuilt and on November 1, 1909, two hydropower plants began operating: in Gamzigradska banja, 12 km upstream from Zaječar, which is still operating today, and at the mill of the Milošević family, 3 km downstream.

In Sokobanja, Stanojević participates in the formation of a joint-stock company with the aim "to use natural water power in the vicinity of Sokobanja to produce electricity for therapeutic and industrial companies". It also participates in the construction of a thermal power plant in Čačak and a hydropower plant in Niš na Nišava, Veliki Gradišta na Pek, Vlasotinac na Vlasina, Ivanjica na Moravica. He also discussed the possibilities of building a hydropower plant on Djerdap.

Source:
Dorđe Stanojević, the astronomer who electrified Serbia, by Milan S. Dimitrijević, Planeta, a magazine for the magazine for the science of research and discovery

Part of the exhibition presents Serbian scientific and industrial heritage in the context of renewable energy sources, small hydropower plants, as well as solar and wind energy.

According to the author of the exhibition, small hydropower plants are the thread that connects modern energy with its beginnings embodied in Tesla's polyphase system, whose application in Serbia was encouraged by Đorđe Stanojević.

Museum exhibits

The systematic collection of items from the field of electrical engineering began in the eighties of the 20th century. In the Department of Electrical Engineering, there are over 11 items in 1.500 collections, of which 3 are study collections. The collections contain items from the fields of: electricity production, transmission, distribution and consumption of electricity, communications and automation of remote control processes, protective equipment, lighting and household appliances before the introduction of electrification, mining.

The content of the Department's collections consists of about 500 items of documentary material: studies, projects and plans of hydropower plants; schemes of power plants; diagrams of production, consumption and exchange of electricity, then maps of power plants and facilities, maps of catchment areas, geological and mining maps, photographs, as well as materials from books and periodicals.

Factory light by Todor Toša Selesković

From the first electric lighting in Serbia to the electrification of Belgrade

The first application of electricity for lighting in the Kingdom of Serbia was carried out in August 1884 at the Military Technical Institute in Kragujevac.

This great act was the work of Todor Toša Selesković, a mechanical engineer at the institute, and was performed in the newly built plant for the production of ammunition shells. The electrical switchboard was purchased from the company "Sigmund Schuckertt", and it consisted of a dynamo machine, for the production of direct current, with a power of 5 HP, powered by a steam engine. A conductor was placed along the length of the hall to which 30 light bulbs of 16 candles each and 2 arc lamps of 1200 candles were tied in series. In 1885, electric lighting was introduced in all departments of the Institute.

This is proof that the application of electricity in Serbia was in time agreement with Europe.

Another factory in Serbia had electric lighting, and that was the textile factory of the Minh brothers in Paraćin (1881-1904). Although everything indicates that the factory was lit a few years earlier, we take 1889 as an indisputable fact. All the factory and residential buildings within the factory circle already had electric lighting in 1890. Two dynamos were installed in the engine compartment. There was usually one in operation, belt-mounted to an 80 HP steam engine. In conjunction with the water turbine transmission, the factory provided a driving power of 130 HP. The power of one dynamo-machine ensured the operation of 300 light bulbs of 10 and 16 candles.

By including the others, the capacity increased to 800 bulbs, which exceeded the needs of the factory, so that both dynamo-machines were turned on only exceptionally, when Paraćin had to be lit, during the king's visits.

The production and application of electricity for the lighting of these two factories did not significantly affect the further electrification of cities and factory facilities in Serbia.

The construction of the power station in Belgrade in 1893 and its commissioning had a decisive influence on the continuous, albeit with occasional interruptions, construction of facilities for the production of electricity in the Kingdom of Serbia.

The period from 1893 to 1914, with occasional stoppages, was marked by the constant multiplication of the capacity for the production of electricity

Source: PIONEER PERIOD OF ELECTRIFICATION OF SERBIA (1884-1914) , Aleksandar Kale Spasojević Institute for Contemporary History, Belgrade

Electricity in the Hamburg pub

It is possible that the event with electric lighting took place in the Belgrade tavern "Hamburg", as Dimitrije C. Đorđević writes about it in the "Belgrade Municipal Gazette" for 1939, number 1-2, p. 45-47, but since there is no information about the time in that story, we cannot take the year 1880 added by someone later as the beginning of the application of electricity in Serbia. More proof is the data that Professor Đ. Stanojević states in his report from Munich, November 1883, to the Minister of Education and Church Affairs, Stojan Novaković, which reads: "before us are two, somewhat similar, but in fact very different types of artificial lighting: gas and electric." The first is much older, better known; and the second appeared only a very short time ago, it is quite rarely (not at all in our country) used until now, and therefore very little known". That is why we begin the text with the work of Todor Toša Selesković at the VTZ in Kragujevac in 1884...

Source: PIONEER PERIOD OF ELECTRIFICATION OF SERBIA (1884-1914) , Aleksandar Kale Spasojević Institute for Contemporary History, Belgrade

A lamp in front of the tavern of Petr Jovanović Šapčanin "At the Parliament"

Before the opening of the public electric power plant in Skender-begova, Belgrade was already lit by electric power from individual sources, using as many as two electric arc lamps! The first electric light was turned on in Belgrade in the summer of 1880 in front of the tavern "Kod Szaplje", owned by Petar Jovanović Šapčanin, at the place where the building of Elektrodistribucije Belgrade is located today, which caused the guests of the tavern to shout slogans: "Long live electricity!" and " Death by lanterns!" Most of the guests wore tinted glasses, because it was believed that the strong electric light could make one go blind.

However, it is possible even for those same Belgraders, there were more gas lamps than electric light bulbs in their homes. "An example of that phenomenon is the electrification of homes in Abadžijska Street (today Kraljice Natalija Street). Electric lighting was not introduced in all homes until 1908. In the beginning, it was introduced only by some intellectuals, higher officials and richer craftsmen, and it was also introduced in the building of the Russian Embassy. In many houses in that street, as well as in other, today's central streets, electricity was introduced only before the First World War and during the war, at the time of the great shortage of kerosene. In the wider city center, electricity was introduced to houses only after almost four decades."

More in the text: BELGRADE BEFORE ELECTRICITY – Lanterns down! , MOSAIC,
TIME | BR 931 | NOVEMBER 6, 2008

Electrical Chronicle

ELECTRICITY AT THE SWITCHBOARDS: The central office of the Leskovac electric company, a switchboard from 1910.

1870 Coal production began in Serbia, in the "Stari Kostolac" pit. He was the owner of the mine Đorđe Weifert. Due to his investment in the exploration of Serbia's mineral wealth, his name entered the history of Serbian mining. On the site of this pit today there is a memorial to the Kostola miners.

1884. The first electric lighting in Serbia was put into operation at the Military Technical Institute in Kragujevac , so that the pod would work during the night. Credit goes to that engineer Todor Toša Selesković. He was the first machine designer in Serbia and made the first water turbine in Serbia.

In 1892, he lived in Belgrade Nikola Tesla, the first and only time. The citizens of Belgrade, as well as citizens from all over Serbia, gave him an unforgettable welcome.

1893. The first public power plant in Serbia started operating - thermal power plant at Dorćol in Belgrade. He deserves it physics professor Đorđe Stanojević. The beginning of the electrification of Serbia is linked to his name - thanks to him, the hydroelectric plants "Pod gradom", "Vučje", "Gamzigrad" were put into operation... The day of commissioning of this thermal power plant - October 6 is the Day of the Electric Industry of Serbia.

In 1894, Đorđe Stanojević published the work "Nikola Tesla and his discoveries". It was the first book about Tesla in Serbia, and the second in the world.

1896 Coal mining began in the "Tvrdojevac" pit in Kolubara. In the Kolubara pits, coal wagons were pulled by horses for a long time!

1900. She started working hydroelectric power plant "Under the city" in Užice na Đetinja, the first power plant in Serbia based on Tesla's alternating current principles, and only four years after the start of operation of the hydroelectric power plant on Niagara. The power plant still works today.

In 1903, the "Vučje" hydroelectric power plant began operating in the village of the same name on Vučjanka. The first transmission line in Serbia, 17 km long, was built from this power plant to Leskovac. The hydroelectric plant is still in operation today.

In 1908, the "Sveta Petka" hydroelectric power plant was put into operation, on Nišava, near Niš. It still works today.

In 1909, the "Gamzigrad" hydropower plant was built on Timok, near Zaječar. The power plant is still in operation today.

In 1911, the "Moravica" hydropower plant began operating on the river of the same name in Ivanjica. It is currently out of order.

In 1928, the "Jelašnica" hydropower plant was put into operation on the river of the same name near Vranje. It still works today.

In 1931, the "Sićevo" hydroelectric power plant started operating. It is located a few kilometers downstream from the older HPP "Sveta Patka" on Nišava, near Niš. It still produces electricity today.

In 1932, the "Power and Light" thermal power plant was built in Belgrade, one of the largest power plants in the Balkans at the time.

In 1937, the company "Elektro-Makiš" built a thermal power plant in Vreoci, which represented the backbone of Serbia's power system at that time. The installed capacity of the thermal power plant was 12 MW. The coal for its work was mined in the "Junkovac" pit.

1943. Opened the first surface mine in Serbia "Kostolac"; after the Second World War, he played a significant role in the industrialization of the country, the training of personnel as well as the application of new technology in the production of coal. The mine was closed in 1980.

1948. The first hydroelectric power plant built after the Second World War, HE "Sokolovica", on Timok near Čokonjar.

1948 Thermal power plant "Mali Kostolac" was built. Mechanical equipment: turbines, generators and boilers, were transferred from the old Belgrade power plant (1893), partially reconstructed and assembled in this power plant.

1952. The beginning of the surface mine "Kolubara". By including the so-called "Field A" into regular production, a large production momentum in coal production began.

1954 HPPs "Ovčar banja" and "Međuvršje" on Morava, near Čačak, started working; The first kilowatt-hours of electricity from "Vlasinski HE" began, which at that time represented a third of the total energy produced in Serbia.

In 1955, the "Zvornik" hydropower plant, also called "the first on the Drina", was put into operation.

1956. Start of work TE "Kolubara A" in Veliki Crljeni. Today it is the oldest active thermal power plant in EPS; coal exploitation began at the "Kosovo" Surface Mine.

1960/1967. Built hydropower plants "Bistrica", "Kokin Brod" and "Potpeć".

1962 - The "Kosovo A" thermal power plant began to operate.

1963 The first units of TE-TO "Sremska Mitrovica" went into operation.

In 1966, HPP "Bajina Bašta" started operating; "Field D" was opened in the Kolubara Basin, then the largest surface mine in the Balkans.

1967 "Kostolac A" thermal power plant put into operation

1969 "Morava" thermal power plant put into operation

1970. Put into operation TE "Nikola Tesla" A - it is the largest thermal power plant in the Balkans and at the same time the largest single producer of electricity in the Serbian power system.

1970. It was put into operation hydropower and navigation system (HEPS) "Đerdap 1" - it is the largest hydrotechnical building on the Danube, the largest producer of hydropower in Southeast Europe. It was designed and built jointly with Romania, so that both countries have the same, symmetrical parts of the main building, and its bisector represents the national border.

In 1978, PAP "Lisina" began to operate, with the function of pumping water from Lisinsko to Vlasinsko jezero, which significantly increased the production of "Vlasinsko HPP".

In 1979, the HPP "Uvac" started operating, on the lake of the same name, at about 1000 meters above sea level.

In 1981, electrical energy began to be produced at TE-TO Novi Sad.

1982 Reversible hydropower plant "Bajina Bašta" was built, a true jewel of the Serbian power system.

In 1983, the "Nikola Tesla B" thermal power plant began to operate. This power plant houses the two largest power units in Serbia; put into operation TPP "Kosovo B".

1985 HPP "Đerdap 2", the second joint Serbian-Romanian hydroelectric power plant on the Danube, went into operation.

In 1987, the "Kostolac B" thermal power plant went into operation.

1989. The most powerful unit of 120MW in TE-TO "Zrenjanin" was put into operation.

In 1990, the "Pirot" hydropower plant was built, unique in its water level, which was built without anchor blocks; the third thermal power plant "Zrenjanin" was put into operation.

In 1999, in the NATO bombing, the power plants of the EPS suffered major damage.

2004. After 13 years of interruption, the electric power system of Serbia was reconnected with the first synchronous zone UCTE...

Source: From the history of Elektroprivreda Serbia, EPS, 2013.

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Living hostages of a dead general

Media trends

Latest Edition

The culture of memory

120 years of electrification of Serbia

Dorđe Stanojević, the astronomer who electrified Serbia

Museum exhibits

Factory light by Todor Toša Selesković

Electricity in the Hamburg pub

A lamp in front of the tavern of Petr Jovanović Šapčanin "At the Parliament"

Electrical Chronicle

Regime investments in the dark

A war that outlived its leaders

The Gospel teaches us to fight against injustice

Departure of heroine, angel and talent

Archive

The culture of memory

120 years of electrification of Serbia

Dorđe Stanojević, the astronomer who electrified Serbia

Museum exhibits

Factory light by Todor Toša Selesković

Electricity in the Hamburg pub

A lamp in front of the tavern of Petr Jovanović Šapčanin "At the Parliament"

Electrical Chronicle

In between

Regime investments in the dark

A war that outlived its leaders

The Gospel teaches us to fight against injustice

Departure of heroine, angel and talent

Archive