January 27, 2026
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Concession agreement signed for 50 MW Vlašić wind farm in BiH

State-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Bosne i Hercegovine (EPBiH) and the Central Bosnia Canton have signed a concession agreement for the Vlašić wind farm near Travnik, along with annexes to the concession agreements for solar power plants Gračanica 1 and Gračanica 2 in the municipality of Bugojno.

The Vlašić wind farm will have up to nine wind turbines with a total capacity of 50 MW, installed at an elevation of 1,850 meters. The projected annual electricity output is between 112 GWh and 116 GWh, and the investment is estimated at EUR 90 million, according to a statement by EPBiH.

Wind farm Vlašić is expected to generate up to 116 GWh of electricity annually

Germany’s KfW Development Bank is providing a loan and grants for the project totaling EUR 38.43 million, and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country’s central government, adopted draft agreements for the arrangement in late December 2025.

The concession agreement, signed by EPBiH General Manager Sanel Buljubašić and Minister of Economy of the Central Bosnia Canton Sedžad Milanović, covers the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Vlašić wind power plant, reads the statement.

The first wind farm in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mesihovina, was inaugurated in 2018, followed by Jelovača in 2019 and Podveležje in 2021.

Last year, wind farms Ivovik and Ivan Sedlo were put into operation. In addition, EPBiH plans to build a 90 MW wind park called Bitovnja, while Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS), the state-owned power utility of the Republic of Srpska, has reactivated the 60 MW Hrgud wind farm project.

Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two entities: the Republic of Srpska and the Federation of BiH, which controls EPBiH.

Solar plants Gračanica 1 and Gračanica 2 will have a total capacity of 45 MW

The statement recalls that the Gračanica 1 and Gračanica 2 solar power plants would have a combined capacity of 45 MW and notes that a building rights agreement was concluded in December 2025. It also states that activities related to grid connection are currently underway, alongside procedures concerning land expropriation and repurposing.

EPBiH has secured loans for the project from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and UniCredit Bank’s subsidiary in BiH. The sites are at a rehabilitated tailings dump of the Gračanica coal mine.

As part of the EPBiH Solar Transition Programme, implemented in cooperation with the EBRD, the state-owned power utility plans to build 13 solar power plants with a total capacity of around 195 MW.

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January 22, 2026
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Petrović: ERS to launch construction of Trebinje 3, Hrgud this year

Power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske plans to start the installation of the Trebinje 3 solar power plant and the Hrgud wind farm this year, according to CEO Luka Petrović.

Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS) already has projects in a ready-to-build phase through its subsidiary companies, Luka Petrović explained, Srpskainfo reported.

ERS is the dominant power producer and supplier in the Republic of Srpska, one of the two entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Trebinje 3 solar power plant, with a capacity of 53 MW, will be built first. The company has received a concession from the Government of the Republic of Srpska. The tender for construction will be launched soon, Petrović stressed.

Preparations for the Hrgud wind farm are also in the final stages, he added. Multi-year wind potential assessments and environmental studies have been completed. Petrović anticipates the start of construction this year. The planned capacity is 60 MW.

Wind energy attracts the most attention in the Republic of Srpska

The installation of the two power plants is expected to be finished by the end of 2027 or in early 2028, he asserted. The CEO added they would significantly contribute to the development of renewable energy sources.

He noted that wind energy attracts the most attention in the entity. The concessions commission of the Republic of Srpska has also awarded approvals for the construction of more than 1,200 MW of photovoltaic plants, Petrović recalled.

In his view, investments by private firms are dormant because solar power production is no longer profitable without battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Petrović: Many solar projects will not be completed

Solar energy prices are significantly lower than they were four to five years ago, Petrović added.

Many of these solar projects will not be finished, he underscored.

Of note, ERS decided late last year to revive the Hrgud wind project, which was halted after a decision by the German government.

The concession for the Trebinje 3 solar power project was awarded in April 2025.

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January 21, 2026
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Petrović: ERS to launch construction of Trebinje 3, Hrgud this year

Power utility Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske plans to start the installation of the Trebinje 3 solar power plant and the Hrgud wind farm this year, according to CEO Luka Petrović.

Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS) already has projects in a ready-to-build phase through its subsidiary companies, Luka Petrović explained, Srpskainfo reported.

ERS is the dominant power producer and supplier in the Republic of Srpska, one of the two entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Trebinje 3 solar power plant, with a capacity of 53 MW, will be built first. The company has received a concession from the Government of the Republic of Srpska. The tender for construction will be launched soon, Petrović stressed.

Preparations for the Hrgud wind farm are also in the final stages, he added. Multi-year wind potential assessments and environmental studies have been completed. Petrović anticipates the start of construction this year. The planned capacity is 60 MW.

Wind energy attracts the most attention in the Republic of Srpska

The installation of the two power plants is expected to be finished by the end of 2027 or in early 2028, he asserted. The CEO added they would significantly contribute to the development of renewable energy sources.

He noted that wind energy attracts the most attention in the entity. The concessions commission of the Republic of Srpska has also awarded approvals for the construction of more than 1,200 MW of photovoltaic plants, Petrović recalled.

In his view, investments by private firms are dormant because solar power production is no longer profitable without battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Petrović: Many solar projects will not be completed

Solar energy prices are significantly lower than they were four to five years ago, Petrović added.

Many of these solar projects will not be finished, he underscored.

Of note, ERS decided late last year to revive the Hrgud wind project, which was halted after a decision by the German government.

The concession for the Trebinje 3 solar power project was awarded in April 2025.

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January 7, 2026
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Đedović Handanović: Construction of 1 GW solar project to start in 2026

The start of construction of solar power plants in a project for a total capacity of 1 GW is expected in 2026, Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia Dubravka Đedović Handanović said.

State-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) announced that its shareholders’ assembly adopted the Three-Year Business Plan for the period 2026-2028.

Dubravka Đedović Handanović pointed out that the company had good production and financial results for three consecutive years. According to the adopted three-year business plan, this trend will continue in 2026, she added.

EPS will invest EUR 1 billion in 2026

The minister recalled that in 2025 EPS built its first wind farm – Kostolac, and the Petka solar power plant, with a combined capacity of 76 MW. The company also finished the construction of the desulfurization facility at its coal-fired power plant Nikola Tesla B (TENT B), allowing the reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 20 to 40 times, she added.

“Investments this year have also been at a high level, 97% in fact, considering that due to the scope and complexity of preparatory activities, the start of materialization of the project for the construction of solar power plants of 1 GW is expected in 2026. The focus of investments of around EUR 1 billion in 2026 will be on maintenance and improvement of the reliability of the power system and, primarily, on increasing the share of renewable energy sources in EPS’s energy mix,” Đedović Handanović stressed.

The company will build new solar power plants as well

The largest portion of the investments, in her words, is planned for new renewable energy plants, such as the construction of solar power plants totaling GW and pumped storage hydropower plant Bistrica, as well as the development of a larger number of solar power plants on land owned by EPS.

Of note, the company is developing the 1 GW solar project, which includes batteries, in collaboration with a consortium comprising Hyundai Engineering and UGT Renewables.

EPS yesterday invited bids for a preliminary feasibility study and conceptual design for a solar power plant on the ash disposal site of TENT A.

The minister revealed that next year’s plan includes an increase in employees’ salaries.

The company will continue its transformation activities, she added. Đedović Handanović welcomed the fact that EPS didn’t take out liquidity loans this year.

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January 6, 2026
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Đedović Handanović: Construction of 1 GW solar project to start in 2026

The start of construction of solar power plants in a project for a total capacity of 1 GW is expected in 2026, Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia Dubravka Đedović Handanović said.

State-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) announced that its shareholders’ assembly adopted the Three-Year Business Plan for the period 2026-2028.

Dubravka Đedović Handanović pointed out that the company had good production and financial results for three consecutive years. According to the adopted three-year business plan, this trend will continue in 2026, she added.

EPS will invest EUR 1 billion in 2026

The minister recalled that in 2025 EPS built its first wind farm – Kostolac, and the Petka solar power plant, with a combined capacity of 76 MW. The company also finished the construction of the desulfurization facility at its coal-fired power plant Nikola Tesla B (TENT B), allowing the reduction of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 20 to 40 times, she added.

“Investments this year have also been at a high level, 97% in fact, considering that due to the scope and complexity of preparatory activities, the start of materialization of the project for the construction of solar power plants of 1 GW is expected in 2026. The focus of investments of around EUR 1 billion in 2026 will be on maintenance and improvement of the reliability of the power system and, primarily, on increasing the share of renewable energy sources in EPS’s energy mix,” Đedović Handanović stressed.

The company will build new solar power plants as well

The largest portion of the investments, in her words, is planned for new renewable energy plants, such as the construction of solar power plants totaling GW and pumped storage hydropower plant Bistrica, as well as the development of a larger number of solar power plants on land owned by EPS.

Of note, the company is developing the 1 GW solar project, which includes batteries, in collaboration with a consortium comprising Hyundai Engineering and UGT Renewables.

EPS yesterday invited bids for a preliminary feasibility study and conceptual design for a solar power plant on the ash disposal site of TENT A.

The minister revealed that next year’s plan includes an increase in employees’ salaries.

The company will continue its transformation activities, she added. Đedović Handanović welcomed the fact that EPS didn’t take out liquidity loans this year.

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January 4, 2026
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Croatia’s Kermas on track to secure new concession for Trusina wind farm

The Government of the Republic of Srpska has drafted a cooperation agreement with Croatian firm Kermas Energija, which is expected to enable the awarding of a concession to build and operate the Trusina wind farm. In late November, the government adopted a decision to annul the public call for awarding the concession, launched in October, due to a lack of bids.

A concession agreement for the 50 MW Trusina wind farm in the municipality of Nevesinje was signed in 2012. However, it was terminated in 2019 after Kermas failed to provide a bank guarantee or make significant progress in implementing the project. The agreement was signed with Eol prvi, a firm owned by Serbia-based Omega plus, but Kermas later acquired a majority stake in the project.

In a statement to Nezavisne, the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska explained that the decision to conclude an agreement with Kermas was made in order to avoid arbitration proceedings that the Croatian company had planned to initiate, as well as due to the government’s interest in having a wind farm built at the site.

According to earlier reports, Kermas had planned to seek damages in the amount of BAM 200 million (around EUR 102.3 million).

The concession is expected to be awarded through a negotiated procedure

The agreement is intended to enable the concession to be awarded through a negotiated procedure, in accordance with the Law on Concessions, the newspaper reported.

Besides withdrawing from arbitration, Kermas would also have to implement the project under new technical specifications, as technology has advanced in the meantime, and wind turbines are now produced with significantly higher installed capacities, according to the Government of the Republic of Srpska, one of the two entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to the annulled public call, the estimated investment in the Trusina wind farm was BAM 130 million (EUR 66.5 million), with a projected annual electricity output of around 160 GWh.

The concession was to be awarded for a period of up to 50 years, and the electricity produced would have been sold on the market.

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January 1, 2026
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Croatia’s Kermas on track to secure new concession for Trusina wind farm

The Government of the Republic of Srpska has drafted a cooperation agreement with Croatian firm Kermas Energija, which is expected to enable the awarding of a concession to build and operate the Trusina wind farm. In late November, the government adopted a decision to annul the public call for awarding the concession, launched in October, due to a lack of bids.

A concession agreement for the 50 MW Trusina wind farm in the municipality of Nevesinje was signed in 2012. However, it was terminated in 2019 after Kermas failed to provide a bank guarantee or make significant progress in implementing the project. The agreement was signed with Eol prvi, a firm owned by Serbia-based Omega plus, but Kermas later acquired a majority stake in the project.

In a statement to Nezavisne, the Ministry of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska explained that the decision to conclude an agreement with Kermas was made in order to avoid arbitration proceedings that the Croatian company had planned to initiate, as well as due to the government’s interest in having a wind farm built at the site.

According to earlier reports, Kermas had planned to seek damages in the amount of BAM 200 million (around EUR 102.3 million).

The concession is expected to be awarded through a negotiated procedure

The agreement is intended to enable the concession to be awarded through a negotiated procedure, in accordance with the Law on Concessions, the newspaper reported.

Besides withdrawing from arbitration, Kermas would also have to implement the project under new technical specifications, as technology has advanced in the meantime, and wind turbines are now produced with significantly higher installed capacities, according to the Government of the Republic of Srpska, one of the two entities constituting Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to the annulled public call, the estimated investment in the Trusina wind farm was BAM 130 million (EUR 66.5 million), with a projected annual electricity output of around 160 GWh.

The concession was to be awarded for a period of up to 50 years, and the electricity produced would have been sold on the market.

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December 19, 2025
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Engie Romania to double its renewables capacity with 253.1 MW wind farm project

Engie Romania, a subsidiary of French energy giant Engie, has bought a 253.1 MW wind farm project in Ialomiţa County. The wind farm, currently under construction, will double the company’s renewable energy portfolio in Romania to over 500 MW.

The Ialomiţa Nord wind farm project was acquired from the Romanian subsidiary of Portugal-based Greenvolt, owned by US investment fund KKR. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. According to earlier reports, the project is valued at EUR 400 million.

With 42 turbines, Ialomiţa Nord will be among the largest wind farms in Romania. It is expected to become fully operational in 2027, local media reported, and sell electricity through a 15-year contract for difference (CfD).

The project will benefit from a 15-year contract for difference

Engie Romania currently owns and operates a total of 248 MW of renewable energy facilities – three wind farms, with a total capacity of 178 MW, and six solar power plants, totaling 70 MW. Ialomiţa Nord will increase its total renewables generation capacity in the country to 501.1 MW.

“With this acquisition, Engie continues to make significant progress in achieving its development plans in Romania, doubling its installed capacity for renewable energy production and consolidating its position in a market with remarkable potential,” said Cristian Buzan, Executive Vice President of Engie Romania.

The company has also secured CfDs for two other projects – one wind farm and one solar park – with a combined capacity of 224 MW. Earlier this year, it completed the acquisition of a 54 MW wind power project. The site is in Mereni in central Romania.

Engie plans to boost its renewables production and energy storage capacity in Romania to 1 GW

Engie’s objective is to increase its renewable energy production and storage capacity in Romania to 1 GW by 2030. The company supplies natural gas and electricity to over 2.3 million customers in Romania.

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December 8, 2025
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Elnos to construct grid connection for wind farm Vetrozelena in Serbia

Elnos Group will build a connection to the transmission grid for the 300 MW Vetrozelena wind farm near the city of Pančevo in Serbia.

Vetrozelena is the largest wind power plant under construction in Serbia. The largest existing one is Čibuk 1, with a capacity of 158 MW. It has been producing electricity since October 2019.

Elnos Group is headquartered in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The company said it celebrated its 30th anniversary of modern business operations by signing a contract with the Power China Construction Group to build the largest wind farm in the Balkans.

Elnos will construct the entire infrastructure for connecting the facility to the transmission system

Elnos Serbia has signed an EPC contract with Sinohydro, a subsidiary of Power China Construction Group, for the construction of the Vetrozelena wind farm, the largest single wind project in the Balkans, with a total capacity of 300 MW, according to the update.

The wind farm would comprise 48 turbines with a capacity of 6.25 MW each.

Of note, the region hosts another major wind project – in July, the construction of a 400 MW wind farm kicked off in North Macedonia.

Elnos Serbia, member of Elnos Group, is undertaking the construction of the complete connection to the transmission system operated by Serbia’s transmission system operator (TSO) Elektromreža Srbije (EMS).

The project includes the construction of a 35/400 kV substation with four transformers of 90 MVA each, a 400 kV switchyard with six fields, a 7.5-kilometer 400 kV dual-system power line, as well as the infrastructure upgrade of the distribution grid and telecommunications network.

Ćulibrk: We will successfully complete the project within the contracted timeframe

This is another contract concluded on an EPC basis under which Elnos Serbia is handling the complete engineering, design, construction of facilities, procurement and installation of equipment, connection to the grid, testing, and commissioning.

“The expertise and dedication of our engineers, technicians, and installers, our comprehensive knowledge and extensive experience on similar projects, along with the company’s financial and organizational stability, give us confidence that we will successfully complete this project within the contracted deadlines,” Elnos Serbia CEO Predrag Ćulibrk underscored.

The project was developed by CWP

The Vetrozelena project was developed by CWP Europe. It is also one of the projects that won the government support in Serbia’s first auctions. However, in April 2023, the company signed an investment contract for the wind farm with PowerChina Resources.

The Chinese company acquired 51% of the project while the remainder stayed in ownership of CWP Europe. PowerChina Resources is PowerChina Group’s overseas investment platform.

The next step in the project’s development occurred in November. Vetrozelena and power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) signed agreements on the electricity offtake, balancing services, and market premiums.

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December 2, 2025
by in News

Serbia’s EPS starts trial operation of its first wind park Kostolac

Serbia’s state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije put the 66 MW Kostolac wind farm into trial operation.

The construction of Kostolac is complete, and Elektroprivreda Srbije’s (EPS) first wind farm has generated its first megawatt-hours, EPS announced.

Upon receiving approval for connecting to the transmission system, the substation was energized and the blades of wind turbine 1 began to spin. It marked the start of the trial operation of the new generation capacity, the company said, and added that the kickoff of the remaining wind turbines is underway.

EPS’s first wind power plant, with 20 generators, is located at sites called Drmno, Petka, Ćirikovac and Klenovnik, at an area of closed open-pit mines of its subsidiary Termoelektrane i kopovi Kostolac (TE-KO Kostolac). It operates coal-fired power plants and open-pit coal mines.

Živković: It is a historic moment for EPS

Closed coal mines are ideal locations for installing wind farms and solar power plants, due to existing infrastructure. The concept has become widespread in Balkan countries.

“This is a historic moment for EPS. In addition to energy from water, coal, and the sun, now the first wind farm is online. This is a big step toward increasing the share of renewable energy and achieving sustainable energy development for EPS and the entire Serbian energy sector,” CEO Dušan Živković underlined.

He pointed out that the wind farm is just the beginning of future intensive development of new green capacities. It is very significant that it was built on the site of an old mining landfill and that the space has been given a completely new, sustainable purpose, he added.

The wind farm is expected to produce 187 million kWh annually

serbia eps wind farm Kostolac trial operation coal mine
Photo: EPS/Zoran Gavrilović

Živković recalled that the construction of the wind farm was a major challenge, but also a real opportunity for experienced engineers and young, new professionals at EPS to gain new knowledge and experience for future projects.

The planned annual production of the wind farm is 187 million kWh, which is enough to supply about 30,000 households with green electricity, according to EPS.

The project is financed by a EUR 110 million loan from Germany’s KfW Development Bank and a EUR 30 million grant from the European Union via the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), while the company provided a part of the needed funds, EPS said.

Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović said in January 2024, at the signing of an agreement with the EU for the EUR 30 million grant, that it has completed the financing of the project.

According to WBIF’s update from December 2024, the project was valued at EUR 145.1 million. It comprised EUR 81.8 million from a KfW loan and EUR 31 from WBIF in the form of a grant, while EPS provided EUR 32.3 million.

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