BiH canton awards 800 MW concession for wind, solar 

The Government of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton (BPC) Goražde and local renewable energy developer TLG have signed a concession agreement for the construction, operation and maintenance of proposed wind farm VE Kacelj and photovoltaic systems FNE Jahorina, FNE Jahorina 1 and FNE Jahorina 2. The total capacity of the power plants is envisaged at 800 MW.

The 30-year concession contract was signed by the BPC Goražde Prime Minister Edin Ćulov and Zoran Vujinović, manager of Travnik-based TLG, in the presence of the BPC Concession Commission President Emir Sijerčić.

According to Zoran Vujinović, there is a methodology for the development of the said power plants. The plan is for the first project, a 200 MW solar park, to be completed in two years, he added. TLG has great experience in the development of wind farms is great, but their realization requires a lot of research and analysis, in his words.

The next steps are analyses and consultations with the Ministry of Spatial Planning, as all protected zones within the area will be excluded from any activities and keep their status, Vujinović stressed.

The conversion of agricultural land to construction land is also necessary

Next, agricultural land must be repurposed to construction land, and other procedures under the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction must be finished.

The cantonal government said the concession contract is very good and that the partner is very credible.

The deal is significant for the economic development of the canton, it added and estimated that the one-off concession payment and regular fees would secure a substantial income for the budget.

Ćulov: Investments in power plants estimated at EUR 800 million

Prime Minister Edin Ćulov pointed out that the signing of the contract is the first stage of the realization of one of the most important projects for BPC Goražde. He valued it at EUR 800 million.

The proceeds from the concession fees and building permits are expected to raise the canton’s budget income by BAM 10 million to BAM 12 million (EUR 5.1 million to EUR 6.1 million) per year, Ćulov stressed.

BPC Goražde, located in eastern Bosnia, is one of the ten cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – one of the two entities making up BiH. The other one is called the Republic of Srpska.

Of note, TLG and Tomix, another local firm, said back in 2018 that they would install two wind farms in the Central Bosnia Canton, in Vlašić and Galica, with a total capacity of 100 MW.