Bosnia and Herzegovina reported a recovery in May electricity generation, with gross output reaching 1,106 GWh, compared with 830 GWh in the same month of 2025. The higher level supported part of the country’s traditional export capacity. Production remains reliant on coal-fired generation and is linked to the operational condition of ageing thermal assets.
Generation mix: thermal, hydropower and wind-solar
Thermal power plants provided 60% of gross electricity output in May. Hydropower accounted for 27.3%, while wind and solar contributed the remaining 12.7%. The share from wind and solar indicates growing relevance for renewables outside large hydropower, without displacing coal as the main source of system stability.
Net thermal generation reached 594 GWh, up 4.4% year on year. Hydropower production totaled 281 GWh, slightly below the May 2025 level. Combined wind and solar output increased by 43.9% to 141 GWh.
The rise in renewables was the strongest component of the monthly balance, according to the data. It was associated with new capacity and improved utilisation of recently commissioned projects. This shift affected both domestic supply levels and cross-border flows.
Cross-border flows return to net exports
Improved domestic generation changed Bosnia and Herzegovina’s electricity trade position in May. Imports fell by 28.6%, from 500 GWh to 357 GWh. Exports increased by 31.7%, from 489 GWh to 644 GWh.
The resulting balance returned the country to a net export position of approximately 287 GWh. Bosnia and Herzegovina remains among the few Western Balkan systems able to generate recurring export surpluses. The export value is sensitive to hydrology, thermal plant availability and the widening carbon-cost difference between the Western Balkans and the European Union.
Lignite output improves; plant-level fuel security remains an issue
Coal production also recovered in May, with lignite output reaching 503,000 tonnes, up 71.7% year on year. Brown-coal production rose by 2% to 449,000 tonnes. The figures point to improved fuel extraction compared with an unusually weak May 2025 baseline.
The outage at the Ugljevik thermal power plant highlights differences between aggregate coal statistics and fuel security at individual units. Higher national lignite production does not automatically ensure coal quality, location or calorific value requirements for each generating unit .
Gas imports rise alongside changing demand patterns
Natural-gas imports reached 9.61 million cubic metres, up 8.7% from 8.84 million cubic metres a year earlier . Gas remains a relatively small component of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s energy balance. The increase points to demand growth outside the electricity sector and continued dependence on imported supply.
The May balance was stronger than a year earlier, driven by higher thermal output, expanding wind and solar generation, and lower import requirements . The underlying export position remains exposed to ageing coal plants, mine productivity, hydrological volatility and tightening European carbon rules .
