Laying of
foundation stone marked the beginning of the implementation of the project for
constructing the hydropower plant Buk Bijela, on the Drina, near Foča, the
joint project of the Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) and Electric Power
Industry of Republika Srpska (ERS).
Beside the
Prime Ministers and Ministers of Mining and Energy of Serbia and Republika
Srpska, the foundation stone was laid by Mr. Milorad Grčić, Acting Director of
EPS and Mr. Luka Petrović, Acting General Manager of ERS.
HPP Buk
Bijela is a part of the project for construction of three hydropower plants on
the Drina, with total capacity of 211 megawatts, with value of about € 520
million. The project will be implemented by the joint company HES Gornja Drina
where EPS has 51 percent of ownership, and ERS 49 percent.
- Construction
of HPP Buk Bijela on the Drina is a new start in relations between Serbia and
Republika Srpska, and in relations of the whole region, and it shows how the
work is executed jointly in the interest of the future generations which will
not know borders for work, capital, projects and survival. This is a project opening many other doors and
possibilities. I hope that a commencement of constructing one greater project –
an airport in Trebinje and highway to Bijeljina will be made official by the
end of the first quarter in 2022 – said Ms. Ana Brnabić, the Prime Minister of
Serbia.
The
President of the Government of Republika Srpska, Mr. Radovan Višković, said
that this project means life, connections, survival and prosperity.
- We are
proud of constructing this hydropower plant together with Serbia, to great
satisfaction of all citizens of Republika Srpska and Serbia. Disputing a
project like this one is not grounded because this is a very significant
venture. The Drina is not either in front of or behind us, this is not a state
border, this is solely under jurisdiction of Republika Srpska. The project
including three hydropower plants imposed on us as an obligation in the coming
period. To work, to build and to connect
– said Mr. Višković.
The
Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia, Ms. Zorana Mihajlović reported that
works on constructing HPP Buk Bijela would be finished before deadlines, in
four years instead of the planned six years.
- The Drina
is a river of all of us, it connects us and never separates. Today, we are
starting with works and we will finish them before the deadline. I am convinced
that this will not be the only hydropower plant to be built jointly by Serbia
and Republika Srpska. I strongly believe that we will be here again together in
four years when this hydropower plant starts with producing electricity – said
Ms. Mihajlović.
The
Minister of Energy and Mining of Republika Srpska,
Mr. Petar Djokić, said that people of Republika Srpska, and particularly
citizens of Foča and Podrinje had been waiting commencement of construction of
HPP Buk Bijela for more than 40 years and he expressed his gratitude to the
Serbian management for a support provided to Republika Srpska.
It is
planned for HPP Buk Bijela to have capacity between 93.5 MW and 114.5 MW, with
a projected annual production up to 355 GWh. The complete project Gornja Drina
foresees construction of hydropower plants Foča and Paunci.
