Minister to seek changes to nature protection law over small hydropower plants
Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan has announced an initiative to change the country’s nature protection law to avert the construction of small hydropower plants (HPP) in protected areas, after his recent attempt to pull approval for the Pakleštica small HPP, threatening to hurt biodiversity in the Visočica river basin, was quashed by a […]
Bids sought for three small hydropower plants
The Ministry of Industry, Energy, and Mining of Republika Srpska has launched tenders for concessions to build and operate three small hydropower plants. One invitation refers to two small hydropower plants (HPP) on the Bjelava river that would have a total installed capacity of 2.523 MW and an annual output of 10.19 GWh of electricity. […]
Petition handed to EBRD calling on IFIs to drop “destructive hydropower in the Balkans”
Representatives from the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign to save the continent’s last undammed rivers have handed in a petition endorsed globally by more than 120,000 people, calling on international development banks to rein in financial support for hydropower projects in the Balkans, according to a press release from CEE Bankwatch Network, one […]
Republika Srpska, Serbia to discuss joint construction of HPPs Paunci, Foča – minister
The governments of Republika Srpska and Serbia will discuss the joint construction of the Paunci and Foča hydropower plants on the upper Drina river at their next session, Petar Đokić, the Bosnian Serb entity’s energy minister, has told MPs. Đokić said that he hopes by the time the session is held, a negotiating procedure will […]
HEP gets green light to build HES Kosinj hydropower complex as part of EUR 500 million project
Croatia’s state power utility Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP) has been given a go-ahead by the Environmental Protection and Energy Ministry for a project to build the HES Kosinj hydropower complex, and it plans to launch preparatory works in 2019, local media have reported. The HES Kosinj project envisages the construction of a reservoir with three dams, […]
Albania gets fresh EUR 12 million loan for strategic Dam Safety Project
Albania has drawn an additional EUR 12 million in lending for its Dam Safety Project to safeguard hydroelectric dams and extend the operating life of hydropower plants on two rivers, including the Drin Cascade, which accounts for the bulk of the country’s electricity generation. The three hydropower plants (HPPs) in the Drin Cascade – Fierza, […]
EPBiH not to pay dividends for 2017 as drought drives down profit
Shareholders of power utility Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBiH), majority owned by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), do not stand to get dividends for 2017, when the company saw its net profit plunge to BAM 620,282 (approximately EUR 317,000), from BAM 12.9 million (around EUR 6.6 million) a year earlier. Under a decision to be […]
Hidroelectrica eyeing acquisition opportunities
Romanian power utility Hidroelectrica is considering the acquisition of wind and solar plants in Romania, as well as energy companies abroad, CEO Bogdan Badea said, Romanian media reported. According to ZiarulFinanciar, Hidroelectrica plans to open electricity trading office in Hungary. The biggest Romanian hydropower producer intends to inaugurate the office in Budapest, Hungary in September. […]