The Republic of Srpska (RS) is moving forward with its hydroelectric project on the Bistrica river, thanks to a significant financial boost. The Chinese Exim Bank has approved a loan of 70 million euros to fund the construction of three hydropower plants (HPPs) with a total installed capacity of 39 MW. These plants, known as B1, B2a, and B3, will be located on the lower Bistrica river near Foca.
Petar Djokic, the RS Minister of Mining and Energy, has indicated that the government is in the process of finalizing the loan agreement. This project, managed by the state-owned power utility ERS through its subsidiary “Hidroelektrane na Drini,” has already seen an investment of approximately 30 million euros.
The HPP Bistrica complex is expected to generate about 152 GWh of electricity annually. The total project cost is estimated at 103 million euros. China National Aero-Technology International Engineering Corporation (AVIC) is responsible for the construction, bringing significant international expertise to the project.
