Republic of Srpska calls for concession bids for 10 MW solar park in Bileća

The Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska in BiH is looking for a concessionaire for a 10 MW solar power plant in Bileća in east Herzegovina. The procedure was initiated at the request of V&Z zaštita, a company from Banja Luka interested in building the facility.

East Herzegovina has lately distinguished itself with a string of renewable energy projects. Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska Petar Đokić said that the construction permit for the Grebak wind farm would be issued within a month. He also highlighted the planned Dabar hydropower plant.

According to Đokić, 900 MW of renewables will be connected to the grid within five years in the Republic of Srpska. It is one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the Federation of BiH is the other one. East Herzegovina is in the Republic of Srpska. The minister claimed other green energy projects would be conducted in the area – in Berkovići, Bileća, Nevesinje, Ljubinje and Gacko.

Bonus points for firm that initiated concession award process

In particular, after issuing two public calls for 50-year concession deals for an 80 MW solar power plant and a 39.6 MW wind farm in Bileća, the ministry has just called for bids for a 10 MW solar park in the same municipality.

There are projects for another solar power plant and a hydropower plant also called Bileća

It noted that the process was initiated by V&Z zaštita. The company from Banja Luka is entitled to 10% more points in all categories for submitting proposals for technical and economic and financial issues for the project, the ministry said.

The project is called Solar Park Bileća. Of note, EFT is the concessionaire, through its subsidiary EFT SE Bileća, for a 60 MW solar power plant also called Bileća. Hydropower plant operator Hidroelektrane na Trebišnjici, part of state-owned coal and power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske, plans to build a hydroelectric facility of the same name.

Electricity to be sold in market

The 10 MW Solar Park Bileća will have an estimated annual output of 16.5 GWh, the ministry estimated. The 39.2-hectare site near the Miruše village is called Hadžibegovo brdo. It is owned by the Republic of Srpska. The investment is estimated at EUR 7.85 million.

The electricity generated in the solar park will be sold in the market, the documentation reveals. The concession can be awarded for a maximum of 50 years.

The bidders must provide a bank guarantee of EUR 235,000. The winner will be obligated to pay the same sum as a one-off concession fee and another 0.28 euro cents for every kilowatt-hour it produces, translating to EUR 2.8 per megawatt-hour.

The deadline is September 5.