A ceremony marked the completion of the breakthrough phase of the headrace tunnel for Hydropower Plant (HPP) Dabar, one of the largest hydraulic tunnels built in southeastern Europe in the past four decades.
The 13-kilometer tunnel, constructed by Integral Engineering, is a central component of the €285 million HPP Dabar project, accounting for around €60 million of the total investment. Once fully completed—expected by summer 2026—it will redirect water flows to optimize generation for downstream hydropower plants within the system.
HPP Dabar director Danilo Ilić stated that the facility is a key driver of economic and energy development in Herzegovina and forms the first phase of the broader “Gornji Horizonti” system in the Republic of Srpska, which will later include the Bileća and Nevesinje hydropower plants. Together, these projects aim to secure long-term energy stability, regional growth, and employment.
Construction faced several delays due to groundwater inflows, extending the works to about four and a half years. The HPP Dabar initiative—considered the largest ongoing energy investment in the Balkans—is being implemented in two stages: first the tunnel, and then the main hydropower infrastructure, jointly executed by China’s Gezhouba Group, Integral Engineering, and Elnos.
