The Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković and the President of the Management Board of Hrvatska elektroprivreda Frane Barbarić put today into permanent operation the Obrovac solar power plant, which installed capacity of 8.7 MW and connection capacity of 7.35 MW makes it currently the largest solar power plant in Croatia in commercial operation. The 6.9m EUR worth Obrovac solar power plant was built in the area of the former alumina factory. With an annual electricity output of about 11.3 million kWh, it will be able to meet the needs of more than 3,500 households. On an area of 117,137 m
2, 27,544 photovoltaic modules produced by the domestic manufacturer were installed.
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The Obrovac solar power plant where we are now, together with Stankovci, represent renewable sources that can jointly supply more than five thousand households. This is an important message of adaptation to the new era and the energy strategy of the Republic of Croatia. In the crisis we went through together, HEP, as the main state-owned electricity company, had a significant role and enabled the Government to make decisions such as limiting the price of electricity for our citizens and the economy. I would like to thank HEP, which took a large burden of our activities on its shoulders. We witnessed the importance of having such a company in a hundred percent state ownership. Decisions on the recapitalization of HEP will enable further investments, such as the ones we are visiting today in Zadar County. The Government will help HEP, not only to invest in renewable sources, but to be a strong Croatian as well as a regional company", said Andrej Plenković, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia.
After the 58 MW Korlat wind farm, put into operation in 2021 and the 2.5 MW Stankovci solar power plant, which has been in operation since 2022, Obrovac solar power plant is HEP’s third RES power plant in Zadar County, realized in accordance with the HEP 2030 development strategy. It is also HEP’s seventh solar power plant in operation and one of four solar power plants with a total capacity of 32 MW to be commissioned by HEP in 2023. After Obrovac, HEP will soon officially open the 9.9 MW Donja Dubrava solar power plant in Međimurje, the largest solar power plant in Croatia, which operation has already started. By the end of the summer, HEP will have two more solar power plants in operation, bringing their number to ten.
"Unlike the former alumina factory, which became a symbol of all unsuccessful and failed investments in the former state, this solar power plant built on its remains, is an example of something quite the opposite – an ecologically unquestionable and economically justified and successful investment. Such are the other 60 renewable energy projects we have planned, with a total capacity of more than 1,500 megawatts and an estimated value of about 1.6 billion euro.
Without green energy and secure energy supply, tourism survival and development is unimaginable. Building on these facts, today, ahead of the new tourist season, I can say that HEP keeps and will continue to keep an eye on the energy needs of tourist areas. This year alone, network investments along the Croatian coast will amount to more than 60 million euro“, said Frane Barbarić, the President of the Management Board of Hrvatska elektroprivreda.
Most planned renewable energy projects are located in the coastal area, of which 11 are in Zadar County, with a total capacity of 660 MW and an estimated value of 700 million euro. Among them is Korlat solar power plant, with an installed capacity of 99 MW and a connection capacity of 75 MW, and an investment value of around 80m euro, which construction start is planned for next year. The process of issuing location permits for two solar power plants ie 45 MW Sukošan and 17 MW Kruševo is currently undergoing.
In addition to investing in renewable sources, HEP is also investing in strengthening the distribution and transmission network in order to accept production from an increasing number of renewable sources in the system, a significant part of which is located along the coast. One of the largest current investments in the Zadar area is the 110/10(20) kV Zadar East TS in Bibinje, where HEP ended its Zadar County event today. At the event in Zadar East TS, the President of the Management Board of HEP Frane Barbarić presented HEP's current and planned investments in the distribution network to the representatives of the Government, Zadar County and the city of Zadar. After the completion of the distribution system node that is currently being installed, Zadar East TS will provide a better supply of the Port of Gaženica, the eastern part of Zadar and the Zadar islands. The value of the investment in the substation and the distribution system cable node amounts to EUR 11.4 million. In the past three years, Elektra Zadar has annually invested around 15 million euro in the improvement of the distribution network, and will continue with the same amount of investment in the next period. In addition to Zadar East TS, the completion of the reconstruction of the 110 kV Biograd TS and the replacement of several submarine cables also need to be highlighted.
The funds for the continued laying of submarine cables for securing energy connection of the Croatian islands with the mainland are provided under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. 30 million euros will be invested in 13 sections of 116 km long submarine cables in order to secure safe energy connection of the islands to the mainland. This project will strengthen the direct energy connection with the mainland for 11 islands: Goli otok, Rab, Susak, Vis, Ist, Dugi otok, Ugljan, Vrgadu, Lastovo, Mljet and Kaprije, and indirectly for 11 more. In total, the Recovery Plan approved 230 million euros for funding distribution network projects, the largest part of which refers to coastal investments.
The video from the event available on the
YouTube channel of Hrvatska elektroprivreda.
