Due to a lack of coal, thermal power plants in the Republic of Srpska have been forced to halt production, yet Bosnia and Herzegovina has continued exporting coal at a consistent rate this year, with most of it going to Serbia.
In the first eleven months of 2024, Bosnia and Herzegovina exported 876,000 tons of coal, valued at over 67 million euros. Of this, 856,000 tons were sent to Serbia. This year’s coal export levels are expected to match those of 2023, when 970,000 tons were exported, worth approximately 84 million euros, with the majority—944,482 tons—also going to Serbia.
The surge in coal exports began in 2022, with Bosnia and Herzegovina sending 984,943 tons abroad, a significant increase from just 195,000 tons in the previous year. Again, Serbia was the primary recipient.
Most of the coal exported to Serbia is brown coal, which is used by local thermal power plants, such as TPP Ugljevik. This plant has been forced to stop production twice this month due to a coal shortage. TPP Gacko is also facing a similar situation, with coal reserves reaching critical levels.
While the Republic of Srpska’s coal exports help prevent an energy collapse in Serbia, local workers in the thermal power plants have been urging authorities for months to address the growing energy crisis. They are calling for long-term solutions to ensure the steady supply of coal to power plants and coal mines in the years to come.
Economist Zoran Pavlovic has warned that exporting coal while the local energy system is under threat could lead to job losses, a decrease in tax revenues, and reduced economic value. He advocates for an immediate halt to coal exports until the situation stabilizes. Pavlovic stresses that continuing to export coal while power plants are in need is a mistake that could cost citizens dearly, as importing coal would be far more expensive.
