Installation of main equipment into the first two biomass-fired cogeneration combined heat and bio power plants (BE-TO) in the generation portfolio of Hrvatska elektroprivreda, in Osijek and Sisak has been completed. The installation of a turbine and a generator of the future bio power plant has been finished at the construction site of BE-TO Sisak, whereas work on insulation and electricity as well as equipment connection has been done on the construction site of BE-TO Osijek. This work is soon to start in Sisak, as well.
Work completion and the beginning of trial period of new power plants are expected at the beginning of 2017, whereas operational permit and the takeover of facilities are expected next year in spring. The total value of the future combined heat and bio power plants in Sisak and Osijek is more than EUR 35 million. These will also be the first power plants of the kind in HEP Group with the status of the preferential producer from renewable energy sources and cogeneration. New power plants BE-TO Sisak and BE-TO Osijek have been built by the contractor consortium, under the leadership of Đuro Đaković Holding and the Dutch firm, HoST B.V.
BE-TO Sisak will annually generate around 19,300 MWh of electricity and 63,900 MWh of heat energy. This investment includes the construction of heat stations and of a hot water pipeline between Brzaj and Caprag. The investment is worth EUR 18.95 million. The new biomass-fired power plant, BE-TO Osijek will annually generate 18,300 MWh of electricity and around 65,800 MWh of heat energy for the district heating system. The value of this investment is EUR 16.25 million. Both power plants will use forest biomass as their fuel, the procurement of which was ensured by HEP's signing long-term agreements. Generated electricity will be delivered into electrical power system. The construction of HEP's new heat and bio power plants will ensure reliable sources of process steam for industrial producers in Osijek and of heat energy for district heating systems in Osijek and Sisak. Simultaneously, this will enable the reduction of losses in the heat system of Sisak, but also the use of existing infrastructure on both locations.
The construction of first BE-TO plants in Osijek and Sisak is a part of HEP's long-term strategy of additionally increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the existing generation portfolio. Along with the revitalization of big hydro power plants, HEP invests into the construction of small hydro power plants (Prančevići, Peruća), the renewal of a biological minimum aggregate on the dam of HPP Varaždin. It also plans to reconstruct several existing small power plants (Fužine, Zeleni vir, Ozalj). In 2014 HEP commissioned photovoltaic power stations on the roofs of office buildings on nine locations in Croatia (Zagreb, Čakovec, Šibenik, Split, Opatija, Zadar, Dubrovnik and two in Osijek), which will generate around 247,000 kWh annually.
