In 2025, Serbia’s coal plants emitted 5.09 times as much SO2 as allowed under the national  ceiling.

The SO2 emissions from the 14 coal-fired units included in the NERP amounted to 177,756 tonnes, while the 2025 ceiling in the NERP was set at a maximum of 34,898 tonnes.

On the plant level, the highest emitter was the Nikola Tesla B plant (units B1 and B2) with 77,470 tonnes – higher than in the previous year and 5.7 times above its individual ceiling.

After Kostolac B’s desulphurisation equipment finally received an operating permit in January 2023, following years of delay and test operations, in 2024 it started to show some results, albeit unsatisfactory ones. In 2025, the plant emitted 17,452 tonnes of SO2 – still 3.3 times as many tonnes as it was allowed to emit according to its NERP ceiling, and significantly more than in the previous year, raising serious concerns about the quality of the equipment and its operation.

Dust emissions have been gradually declining since 2018, but in 2025 this pace of reduction no longer ensures compliance with the ceiling, which has itself decreased. Therefore, in 2025 Serbia is in breach of its dust ceiling, emitting 1.09 times above the limit, with 4,132 tonnes.

After several years of marginal decline, NOx emissions in Serbia saw a considerable increase compared to the previous year, and reached a similar level to that of 2021. Coupled with a decrease of the overall NOx ceiling, this resulted in a breach, with emissions at 1.21 times as much as allowed. 

The year 2025 marks the third time Serbia has breached the ceilings for this pollutant. In 2021, the Energy Community Secretariat opened a dispute settlement case against Serbia for non-compliance with its NERP, or more specifically its SO2 ceiling. In July 2025 it escalated the case by issuing a reasoned opinion. The opinion also took into account the lack of compliance with NOx ceilings beginning in 2023.