The electricity industry in Croatia turns 117 today. On that day, which has been marked as the Hrvatska Elektroprivreda's Day since 1995, the first alternating current electricity system of production, transmission and distribution of electric power was realized in the city of Šibenik.
The alternating two-phase system consisted of electricity production in the Krka hydro power plant on the Krka River waterfalls, transmission of electricity by a two-phase transmission line to the city of Šibenik 11 km away and a distribution network with two switching and six transformer substations installed on house roofs. It was the first proper, complete and, at that time, state-of-the-art electricity system.
The construction of the Krka HPP began on March 22, 1894 and was completed within a record 16 months, which was quite a feat considering the then building and equipment transportation conditions. Krka HPP was the first public alternating current hydro power plant in Croatia, put into operation just two days after the most famous and first large-capacity hydro power plant on the Niagara River waterfalls. The builders of the system were Ante Šupuk, Šibenik’s mayor and Dalmatia’s delegate to the Empire’s Council in Vienna and his son Marko and Vjekoslav Meichsner, Šibenik city surveyor and city councilor.
The Šibenik’s electricity was one of the first in the world, which is a proof that culture and technology were reaching Croatia and that it was an advanced part of Europe and the world.
