A moderate increase in energy demand is expected in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) over the coming years. In response, the power utility company EP HZHB is looking to hire a contractor to conduct a study on how to integrate new electricity generation facilities into its overall production management system.
According to the technical documentation, BiH’s electricity system is unique because it consistently produces more electricity than it consumes, with the majority generated by coal-fueled thermal power plants using domestic resources.
Projections indicate that the electricity system’s load will gradually increase. The Indicative Development Plan for 2023–2032 estimates that peak demand on the transmission network will rise by an average of 1.8% per year, with a minimum growth rate of 1%.
While significant short-term changes in electricity consumption on the transmission network are not expected, substantial developments are anticipated on the production side. Over the past 10 to 15 years, electricity market liberalization and new regulatory measures have driven major shifts in the sector across the region. Like many European countries, BiH is now actively pursuing the construction of new generation facilities, particularly in the solar and wind energy sectors.
This trend is reflected in the high volume of applications for grid connections at voltage levels of 110 kV, 220 kV, and 400 kV. Applications for solar power projects now total more than 9,500 megawatts, while wind energy projects exceed 3,300 megawatts.
In addition to existing renewable facilities such as the Mesihovina, Jelovača, and Podveležje wind farms, and solar plants like Petnjik, Zvizdan, and ECO Wat (35 MW), many smaller plants are already connected to the distribution network. According to new data from Elektroprijenos BiH as of July 2024, the country is on track for major expansion. More than 20 new power plants, with a combined capacity of over 2,000 megawatts, are expected to be connected to the transmission system within the next two to three years.
