Energy price increases loom in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia

Electricity prices are facing significant upward pressure in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia due to infrastructure needs and regulatory changes.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS) is reportedly facing severe financial difficulties. Management is considering a request for a price increase of up to 50 percent for electricity and network fees to address debt and high import costs. Separately, experts warn that Bosnia and Herzegovina may need to invest billions of marks into modernizing its power grid to accommodate the growing influx of renewable energy sources, which could make consumer price adjustments inevitable.

In Croatia, the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA) has approved new tariff rates for guaranteed electricity supply for businesses, effective November 1. The increase will primarily affect a small number of entrepreneurs with semi-annual consumption exceeding 250,000 kWh. While smaller businesses may see increases between 58 and 71 percent, larger customers could face average hikes of 132 to 167 percent. These changes do not apply to households.