New electricity price hike expected in Republika Srpska entity

The Regulatory Commission for Energy has not yet received an official request for new tariffs, but authorities insist that a price increase is "inevitable due to rising electricity production costs."

There are reports suggesting that electricity prices could rise by 20% from mid-year, and so far, no official source has denied these claims.

Jovan Vasilic from the consumer protection association “Zvono” in Bijeljina told FENA that electricity distributors, including five companies, must submit a new request to the regulator for grid fees by the end of April.

"According to the information we have, the grid fee—which is the largest component of the electricity bill—should not increase," said Vasilic.

Regarding the price of electricity itself, he stated that current discussions are merely "public speculation."

"There is no official initiative. If one arises, the regulator must assess whether it is justified. Therefore, I assure consumers that there is no formal request for an electricity price increase in Republika Srpska," he added.

Vasilic also pointed out that the Republika Srpska government has not fulfilled its legal obligations under the Electricity Act, which requires the creation of a bylaw on energy-protected consumers.

"For example, some people rely on medical devices powered by electricity but cannot afford to pay their electricity bills," he explained.

The Electricity Act, which came into effect on January 1, 2021, introduced the category of energy-protected consumers. These are socially vulnerable households officially recognized as needing assistance due to their financial situation. The Republika Srpska government had pledged to define these beneficiaries in a social registry currently in development, but there is no timeline for its completion.

Electricity prices for households in Republika Srpska were increased by an average of 7.9% as of January 1.