New hydroelectric power plants on the Drina - EPS and EPRS signed agreement on cooperation

The Electric Power Company of Serbia (EPS) and the Electric Power Company of the Republic of Srpska (EPRS) have signed an agreement on cooperation in the preparation of technical documentation for construction of new hydroelectric power plants on the Drina river.

The agreement on cooperation in the preparation of technical documentation for construction of hydroelectric power plants on the middle reaches of the Drina river has been signed by EPS CEO Dragomir Markovic and EPRS CEO Branislava Milekic.

As it was said, the agreement represents an extension of cooperation in the field of energy between the governments of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska whose representatives also signed the agreement on cooperation in the construction of three hydroelectric power plants on the middle reaches of the Drina in April this year.

Milekic said that previous researches had showed that hydroelectric power plants of 300 MW could be built on the middle reaches of the Drina river and produce 1,200 GWh of electric energy.

- The estimated value of the total investment is €819 million - Milekic said and added that the plants would be built on four or five locations, on which the decision would be made after the documentation was prepared.

Markovic explained that the initial plan had been to build the facilities in three locations - Rogacica, Tegare and Dubravice, but it had later turned out that there would be a need for facilities in four or five locations.

Milekic recalled that in 2008 EPS and EPRS had signed the Protocol on cooperation in construction of hydroelectric power plants on the upper reaches of the Drina - in Buk Bijela, Foca, Paunca and Sutjeska, of which total value was €435 million.

The preparation of the feasibility study is underway, she said, and a public invitation has been published for the selection of a strategic partner that would take part in the realization of this project.

State Secretary of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development Stefano Saglia, who attended the signing of the agreement, said that Italy was interested in importing electricity from the Balkans and that all EU members had pledged to use 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Governments of Serbia, the Republic of Srpska and Italy earlier signed few agreements on cooperation in use of water power potentials of the Drina river.

Today’s signing of the agreement was also attended by Minister of Energy and Mining Petar Skundric and Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska Slobodan Puhalac.

Elektroprivreda Srbije ad Beograd

MH ERS MP a.d. Trebinje

Vlada Republike Srbije

Vlada RS Banja Luka

Governo Italiano - Vlada Italije

hydroelectric power plants on the Drina

the Drina river

Dragomir Markovic

Branislava Milekic

Rogacica

Tegare

Dubravica

HE Buk Bijela

HE Foca

HE Paunci

HE Sutjeska

Petar Skundric

Slobodan Puhalac