Energy permit not needed for power plants under 1 MW in BiH

The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has adopted new rules for energy permits. According to the rulebook, they are not needed for facilities with a capacity lower than 1 MW, but hydropower projects are regulated differently.

The rulebook regulates the criteria for issuing energy permits, the content of the application, the procedure for issuing the permits, their content, and the rules for the management of the register of energy permits, the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry said.

FBiH is one of the two entities making up Bosnia and Herzegovina. The other autonomous part is called the Republic of Srpska.

The rulebook covers the reconstruction of existing solar power plants.

The entity ministry said the rulebook entered into force on July 6.

Energy permits cannot be issued for the construction of hydropower plants with a capacity lower than 10 MW

It implies that the decree on the procedure, criteria, form and content of the application for the energy permit for the construction of new and reconstruction of existing power plants ceased to be valid.

An energy permit is not required for the installation of a power plant with an installed capacity lower than 1 MW. But energy permits cannot be issued for the construction of hydropower plants with a capacity lower than 10 MW, except ones built on gravity water pipelines.

The energy permit can be transferred to a third party

According to the rulebook, the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry of FBiH decides on applications for energy permits based on all facts determined in the procedure.

The maximum permit extension period is determined in the original energy permit, the document reads.

The energy permit can be transferred to a third party as long as it is valid, and with the ministry’s approval.

The rulebook includes an annex with the details of the energy permit application. It was adopted in line with the Law on Electricity of the Federation of BiH.