MORE THAN BAM 1 BILLION FOR GAS PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 1 /SRNA/ – The Republika Srpska Government has agreed that BAM 1,029,477,150 will be earmarked from the Republika Srpska budget for implementing the main gas pipeline Šepak–Novi Grad construction project.

This amount does not include the costs of resolving property and legal issues, which will be determined later during the expropriation process, read the information on the activities related to the implementation of the main gas pipeline construction project adopted today by the Republika Srpska Government. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy and Mining have been tasked with implementing the conclusion, while Sarajevo-Gas Istočnp Sarajevo has been tasked, in accordance with regulations, with implementing the project, the Government’s Public Relations Bureau cited in a statement. The construction of Šepak–Novi Grad main gas pipeline project consists of three phases, the first of which includes the construction of the primary main gas pipeline Šepak–Banja Luka. The second phase includes the construction of connecting gas pipelines toward cities and municipalities located along the route, with gasification planned for 18 local communities along the route. The third phase includes the construction of the Banja Luka–Novi Grad main gas pipeline. The planned length of the bidirectional pipeline route is about 500 kilometers. The Government emphasized that the construction of the gas pipeline with accompanying above-ground infrastructure is a capital investment and one of the largest in this part of Republika Srpska. Viewed in a broader context, the sale of natural gas as an environmentally friendly energy source will positively affect the reduction of electricity consumption, thereby opening the possibility of selling surplus electricity at significantly higher prices than those currently paid by consumers. By constructing the main gas pipeline and providing gas to the municipalities, conditions will be created for the development of industrial zones, providing opportunities to open production facilities that will use natural gas for technological purposes and, above all, enable the employment of qualified workers. The use of natural gas for heating purposes will reduce the level of harmful gas emissions and contribute to environmental protection. The implementation of this project will provide a new primary energy source, which will further enable the optimization of the most economical form of primary energy use for households and industrial consumers in the northwestern part of Republika Srpska.