Annual report - HSE

2.14 Research and development
In 2012, the HSE’s research and development activities were aimed at the performance
of projects for achieving the Group’s long-term business goals. An important work area
comprised activities for supporting realisation of complex investment programme for
new production capacities, through which the HSE Group pursues its goals of sustainable
electricity production.
2.14.1 Coordination of development activities
on the HSE Group level
Coordination of investment activities of the HSE Group
All development activities and projects on the Group level are monitored and coordinated
within the framework of Development Committee. In 2012, monthly development
committees were carried out, within the scope of which we monitored preparation and
realisation of investment projects regarding new production facilities, discussed proposals
of legislative and other relevant documents on national and EU level and current
development engagements.
Development Committee presented the draft of Rules on Investment Valuation and
Monitoring aimed at unification of preparation and performance procedures for the
HSE Group investment projects. In accordance with the discussed rules preparation and
implementation of new information and business system in the HSE Group, we introduced
a revised and unified reporting system for subsidiaries, which will be based on monthly
and quarter reports on current and planned investments.
Periodic reporting on regulatory and technological novelties
HSE issues regular weekly news on current events in the area of national and EU legislation
and of energy, environment and climate policy, on technologic innovations in electricity
production, especially in terms of RES and other low-carbon technologies, and on events
within the scope of European association of the electricity industry EURELECTRIC. These
publications are aimed at informing our key employees, thus enabling timely response
of the company to the changes in business environment. In this way, our up-to-date
news represent an officialised measure for reducing the risks in connection with lack of
information and, consequently, inadequate reaction to issues, as well as a part of our risk
management policy.
Long-term strategic planning of the HSE Group development
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Preparation of strategic development documents of the HSE group is a priority that we
failed to complete in 2012. One of relevant reasons for this is the fact that the main national
documents regarding energy and climate policy had not been adopted. Strategic policies
in the area of electricity supply on the national level are very important for the HSE Group
and represent the basis for determination of development priorities of the entire Group;
therefore, preparation of the HSE Group strategic development documents remains our
main goal in 2013. The new Medium-term Development Concept (MTDC) will be based
on the guidelines of the Slovenian energy policy and international commitments of the
country, with emphasis on strategic investments by means of which the HSE Group will
contribute to fulfilling these commitments. Since the Group is in the middle of an intensive
investment cycle, preparation of a short-term action plans for a 3-year period is of key
importance, as well. The main difference between action and strategic development plan
will be mostly in the data details and strategic/operational perspective on operations of
the Group companies in the discussed period.