Chasing the Wind, Harnessing the Waters: PowerChina Sets an Eastern Benchmark for Green Energy Transition in the Balkans

As the global tide of energy transition crashes against the rocky cliffs of the Balkan Peninsula, Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) has inscribed a vivid note of green development among Bosnia and Herzegovina’s snow-capped mountains and river valleys with two projects that shine with ingenuity.

Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoys abundant wind resources. In recent years, its government has attached growing importance to environmental and ecological protection. PowerChina’s two major undertakings, the 84 MW Ivovik Wind Power Project and the Ulog Hydropower Plant in the Neretva Valley, not only represent the first large-scale breakthrough of Chinese complete electrical equipment, with a 90% localization rate, in Eastern Europe, but also exemplify an innovative practice of “integrating Chinese and European technical standards”. They have become a model of South–North cooperation in global climate governance.

The Ivovik 84 MW Wind Power Project is the first foreign-invested energy concession in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the first new energy project invested and built by a Chinese enterprise in the country. According to Liu Zhidong, PowerChina’s Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, once connected to the national grid the project will become the largest new energy power facility in the country. With a designed annual generation of around 259 million kWh and an expected annual reduction of some 240,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, it will effectively improve the surrounding environment, strengthen local ecological construction, and drive energy transition.

Ivovik 84 MW Wind Power Project in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The conversion of more than 10,000 pages of construction drawings into local languages was a long dialogue between technology and standards, while the “Europeanization” of Chinese-manufactured equipment proved equally challenging. Thanks to the proactive efforts of the project team, Chinese wind power design has leapt from “difficult to adapt” to “taking root” on European soil. For the first time, complete sets of Chinese electrical equipment have been widely applied in renewable energy projects across the Balkans. In addition, PowerChina carefully interpreted all requirements of the project’s Environmental Permit and successfully achieved its management goal of “zero environmental complaints.”

Aerial view of the dam during impoundment

The Ulog Hydropower Plant is located in Kalinovik, Republika Srpska, and is the most important clean energy project in the region. Designed with a maximum dam height of 53 meters, a total reservoir capacity of 6.44 million cubic meters, and two generating units with a total installed capacity of 35.14 MW, it is the first hydropower station built by a Chinese enterprise in Bosnia and Herzegovina and PowerChina’s first hydropower EPC project in the European market. Its major works include a concrete double-curvature arch dam, an ecological flow mini power station, a right-bank diversion tunnel, and a left-bank water conveyance and generation system.

“Outstanding Local Contribution Award” presented by the Kalinovik Municipal Government

The construction of the Ulog Hydropower Plant has brought significant social and economic benefits to the local community. In 2023, the project won the Outstanding Local Contribution Award from the Kalinovik Municipal Government, the highest honor granted to local enterprises, in recognition of its outstanding contributions to corporate social responsibility and to local economic development.

Concrete double-curvature arch dam

According to Project Manager Zhang Hua, once in operation the hydropower plant will enhance local electricity infrastructure, create ecological benefits, support sustainable development, and inject strong momentum into the green, low-carbon transformation of the Central and Eastern European energy system.

Each wind turbine rooted in Ivovik carries with it more than clean energy; it embodies a management philosophy that engages in dialogue with nature and resonates with local culture.

Project team conducting geological survey in the snow

Project Manager Wang Zhiqiang recalled the difficulties of site surveys: “The rock layers were harder than expected, and conventional machinery could not excavate. On narrow platforms, the XCMG XCC2000 crane deployed its “telescopic boom with superlift” technology, reducing average installation time to just 4.15 days per turbine, and we successfully met the high-quality construction goals.”

To overcome language and cultural differences, the project team implemented cross-cultural training. Chinese staff learned about the meaning of local religious festivals, while Bosnian colleagues gained insight into stories from China. The integration of hierarchical decision-making and participatory discussion gave rise to a distinctive “hybrid management model,” making decisions more grounded and allowing Bosnian colleagues to feel a sense of ownership.

Ivovik Wind Power Company supporting local school sports events

The experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina is becoming a golden key for PowerChina to expand into Central and Eastern Europe. This localized management model will allow China’s “energy transition solutions” to better serve the deepening of international cooperation in green energy, and PowerChina will continue to play an active role in driving the global energy transition.

For Tomislav Vujeva, a Bosnian engineer and on-site coordination supervisor at the Ivovik Wind Project, his work diary is filled with stories of technological exchange beneath spinning silver blades, cultural encounters, and the bond between his family and green energy.

Project team inspecting turbines between snow walls

“I was deeply impressed by the large-scale application of Chinese-made equipment. It gave me a real sense that Chinese technology is highly competitive in the international market and has reached world-class standards,” said Tomislav. Every time he inspects the turbines, he looks forward to the future of renewable energy in Bosnia and Herzegovina: “I hope the country can build a complete new energy industry chain, attract investment, create more good jobs, and drive economic growth.”

With concrete action, PowerChina has demonstrated that in the pursuit of green development there are no borders—only the determination to move forward together. The Ivovik Wind Power Project and the Ulog Hydropower Plant have long gone beyond equipment and technology, becoming spiritual bonds that link two countries and two generations. (Photos courtesy of PowerChina)