Kamengrad lignite power plant, Bosnia-Herzegovina

An idea to build a power plant at the open-cast Kamengrad coal mine near Sanski Most in the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina has been around for years, but in 2017 it took a step forward with the November signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Energy China International and the Bosnia-Herzegovina construction supplier Lager d.o.o. for a 2 X 215 MW plant.

Background

Few details are available about the plant yet, and it has no environmental permit and no financing. As with other plants across the region, unrealistic employment promises have already been made. In December 2017 head of the Sanski Most District Faris Hasanbegović stated that it would provide 1000 workplaces.

This does not appear to have convinced local people, however. As it would be a new power plant, it has attracted much more opposition locally than most other planned plants in the country. Sanski Most is located on the beautiful river Sana and prides itself on having no fewer than nine rivers in the district altogether. As a scenic and green area many of its residents feel that the power plant will spoil its potential for agriculture and tourism rather than bringing prosperity.