CEO of TSO Company “Elektroprenos BiH” Matan Zaric expressed satisfaction with this year’s participation of the prime ministers of all entities in the work of the Assembly and Board of Directors of the company and stressed that the energy system stability was .
− In only five to six months we managed to do everything that should have been done over the past eight years. We adopted business plans, started the processes of investing and maintaining facilities and, most importantly, we ensured the energy system stability – said Zaric.
According to him, activities regarding the formation of management team of “Elektroprenos BiH“ are almost completed.
– We appointed the new Board, but we have not yet appointed the managers of operational units – it will be done very soon as well as the establishment of the Audit Committee − specifies Zaric.
“Elektroprenos BiH“ adopted annual and three-year business plans and investment plan, which was confirmed by the BiH State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC).
The company also adopted a ten-year strategy that will be implemented after the revision by| “Independent system operator“.
Zaric recalls that “Elektroprenos BiH“ plans to employ 193 new workers this year.
– As a priority, we have already posted job announcements for 93 positions. Five commissions will test and select candidates. In mid-January we will open new positions and recruit the remaining 100 employees − he explains.
He remembers that at the meeting of entities’ prime ministers with EU representatives, held in Brussels on March 23, the European officials expressed attitude that BiH would not do anything in this regard and that the only goal of the meeting was that the entities take KM 100 million from the accumulated profit of “Elektroprenos BiH”.
– Then the prime ministers clarified that KM 100 million did not matter, but that it is of utmost importance to unblock investment process. We have done all the work and sent reports to Brussels, from which we receive a positive response – said Zaric.
He announces that a meeting on the energy sector in BiH, covering not only electricity but also gas and all other areas of the energy sector, will be held on June 5, in Brussels.
Zaric adds that the company was providing consumers with electricity all the time during the floods, as well as that it suffered about KM 2 million in damage due to floods and landslides.
− Interruptions in electricity supply emerged due to problems with distribution facilities. We managed to organize operations, we bought pumps and protected substations from more serious damage – says Zaric.
Eight 110 kV substations were disabled due to flooding, among others, those in Doboj and Celinac, but they were repaired and put into operation. Columns were more severely damaged. Several of them were broken in the area of Tuzla and near Laktasi, but they will be reconstructed in the near future.
− Now we are dealing with damage due to landslides around Tuzla, where ten transmission lines are under threat, three of which are particularly costly – i.e. 400 kV transmission lines covering distances Tuzla – Ugljevik and Tuzla – Banja Luka. There was no destruction of transmission lines, but some columns were undermined. This area suffered severe damage, which will probably imply the need to anchor the entire Vrbas Canal – says Zaric.