RWE to cooperate with Serbian province

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- German energy giant RWE is looking into developing coal and water power projects in a Serbian province inside Bosnia-Herzegovina.

A senior RWE executive, Gerd Jaeger, on Tuesday met with the prime minister of the Republica Srpska, Milorad Dodik, to discuss opportunities for collaboration on joint energy projects.

RWE sees Srpska and other areas in Southeastern Europe as attractive growth markets. "Particularly in the field of hydropower, our country offers some interesting potential," Dodik said.

Together with Srpska, RWE could realize hydropower projects with a combined capacity of more than 1,000 megawatts, RWE said, adding that investments could reach the billion-euro range.

RWE could also operate a local grid and cooperate on lignite-fired power stations, the company said in a statement.

The Republica Srpska is a political entity inhabited mainly by ethnic Serbs inside Bosnia-Herzegovina, a state that after the Yugoslavian war still battles with political instability.

A 2,200-strong EU force is currently in the country to guarantee stability and security.