Elektrokrajina launches tendering for supply of ancillary equipment for 2 business units

Power distribution company Elektrokrajina, a subsidiary of state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), has launched tendering for the supply of ancillary equipment for business units in Banja Luka and Srbac.

At the end of September, the company also published invitations for tenders from would-be contractors for the reconstruction of medium and low voltage networks in 9 business units, while the tendering procedure for the supply and installation of smart metering in Elektrokrajina’s business units will be published in the fourth quarter of 2018 or in early 2019.

The contracts in all 3 tendering procedures will be funded from a EUR 15 million loan secured by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the Elektrokrajina Power Distribution Project.

The deadline to file bids for the ancillary equipment is January 15.

The scope of supply includes single-core screened plastic cables, cable terminations,  cable joints, ring main units and adapters for cables, cable lugs, PVC cable protectors, corrugated plastic pipes for underground cables, galvanized  “U” profile steel, etc., Elektrokrajina said in the invitation for tenders.

The tenders for the reconstruction of medium and low voltage networks is divided in 2 lots – lot 1 for business units Banja Luka, Prijedor, Laktaši, Srbac and Novi Grad, and lot 2 for business units Gradiška, Prnjavor, Mrkonjić Grad and Kozarska Dubica.

The deadline for submitting tenders is November 28, the invitation for tenders reads.

Two distribution companies to modernize network

Power utility ERS has 5 power distribution companies – Elektrokrajina, Elektro Doboj, Elektro Bijeljina, Elektrodistribucija Pale, and Elektrohercegovina. In March last year, the EBRD and Elektrokrajina signed a EUR 15 million loan agreement for the modernization of the distribution network, while Elektro Bijeljina did the same in September.

According to the EBRD’s website, Elektrokrajina has received a loan from the EBRD towards the cost of the Elektrokrajina Power Distribution Project, which is aimed at: (a) reduction of losses, through the installation of new cables, power lines and new smart meters, which is expected to reduce the overall losses from over 15% to around 10-12%, in line with the cap set by the Regulatory Commission for Energy of Republika Srpska  and (b) improvement in the quality of supply with reconstruction of networks in the most populated areas.

The proposed project has a total estimated cost of up to EUR 15 million.