COMMERCIAL AND NATIONAL PROFITABILITY OF COAL MINING AT GACKO COAL DEPOSIT

Coal resources, beside oil, gas and uranium as nonrenewable source of energy, represent the mostsignificant part of energy potential of Republic of Srpska and energy source of strategicimportance.Modern pace of technological and industrial development conditions constant increase ofcoal exploitation and consumption. Usage of this resource must be planed and utterlyrational.Production of coal from Gacko deposit has great importance from socio - economical andnational aspect. If taken into account that thermoenergey capacity of installed power of 300MW wasbuilt very close to Gacko coal deposit, to the greatest extent the problems of unemployment andpurchasing power of locals and residents of neighboring municipalities are solved. In the formerproduction of coal and electric energy from energy complex in Gacko the commercial profitability isrealized, which represents direct financial benefit for Republic of Srpska energy sector. However,commercial profitability, which is practically determined by market economy and its principles can notgive clear picture about contribution of coal and electric energy production to national economy ofRepublic of Srpska