The capital overhaul of thermal power plant Gacko and the minimal electricity production of hydropower plant Trebisnjica are the main reasons why Bosnian power utility ERS in 2019 bought three times more electricity on the free market than a year before. At the same time, company sold 1.5 times less electricity on the free market compared to 2018. Until 21 December, ERS sold slightly less than 1,400 GWh of surplus electricity and earned around 74 million euros from these sales. In comparison, the company sold 2,200 GWh in 2018 for 94.74 million euros. 72 % of electricity sold in 2019, was sold to foreign companies or those who have subsidiaries in BiH, while the rest is sold to Brcko district, the state operator of transmission system NOSBiH and the other two power utilities – EPBiH and EP HZHB.
In the same period in 2019, ERS bought a total of 358 GWh of electricity for around 22 million euros, while in 2018 it bought 123.5 GWh of electricity for 8.3 million euros. Electricity is bought in case of production deficits due to power plants downtime, poor hydrological conditions, increased consumption or for the optimization of hydro/ thermal electricity production. Through the business plan rebalance, ERS envisaged a loss of around 10 million euros in 2019, however, according to unofficial information, the company might have operated at a profit in this year.
