SARAJEVO — Republika Srpska (RS), one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), has partnered with China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd for the construction of the Dabar Hydro Power Plant (DPP) in the southern Herzegovina region. The contract was signed at a ceremony in the city of Trebinje, the Chinese Embassy in BiH announced on May 6.

China's Ambassador to BiH Ji Ping and RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic attended the signing ceremony via video link, respectively, from Sarajevo, the capital of BiH, and Banja Luka, the capital of RS.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has not stopped China from deepening cooperation with BiH. The DPP is a new achievement in this cooperation and the best evidence of the convergence of interests in the era of globalization," said Ji Ping.

Viskovic said the DPP will be the first large-scale hydropower plant to be built in RS in recent years. The project is of great significance as it will effectively improve the region's power supply and will drive local economic development.

The 200-million-plus-euro ($216 million) plant will generate 249 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity a year.