In 2025, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) recorded an unprecedented expenditure of approximately €321.5 million on electricity imports, effectively doubling its import bill from the previous year. This significant increase was primarily attributed to a combination of decreased domestic production, coal supply challenges, and prolonged maintenance shutdowns at essential thermal power plants.
Croatia emerged as the leading supplier, providing electricity valued at around €136.5 million. Following Croatia, Slovenia contributed approximately €55.2 million, while Albania and Serbia supplied electricity worth about €45.5 million and €44.3 million, respectively.
The stark rise in import costs in 2025 highlights a marked departure from previous years. In 2023, BiH’s import spending was around €110.5 million, with figures of roughly €201 million in 2022, and about €112 million in 2021. The country’s electricity imports were significantly lower in 2020, amounting to only around €49 million.
A critical factor contributing to the surge in import expenditures was the simultaneous shutdown of two major coal-fired plants located in the Republic of Srpska (RS). During May and June, both the TPPs Ugljevik and Gacko, which collectively generate around 65% of RS’s electricity, were offline for roughly ten days. TPP Ugljevik underwent its routine annual maintenance from 21 April to 5 June, while TPP Gacko was offline from 24 May to 2 August, undergoing a significant five-year maintenance cycle. These overlapping outages compelled the state-owned power utility ERS to heavily depend on imported electricity, with TPP Ugljevik also facing interruptions throughout the year due to ongoing coal shortages.
The issues surrounding coal supply are not confined to one region; the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) has similarly struggled with inadequate coal supplies and aging thermal infrastructure, resulting in a nearly 25% decline in electricity generation over the last four years.
The export landscape for electricity also saw an uptick in 2025, although it remained below prior peaks. BiH exported electricity worth approximately €444 million, an increase from about €342.5 million in 2024. The most robust export performances were noted in 2022 and 2023 when annual exports exceeded €540 million and €550 million, respectively.
