23.02.2024.
Director of the Fund, Luka Balen, together with Damir Habijan, the minister of economy and sustainable development, and CEOs of HOPS (Transmission System Operator) and HEP (national energy company), visited the works of laying new submarine cables between the islands of Krk and Cres, which are being carried out as part of the programme of revitalisation, construction, digitalisation and modernisation of the Croatian electric power transmission network."I would like to congratulate everyone, especially the workers who have worked on this complex project over the past two years. This is a significant day not only for Croatian islands, but for the Croatian energy system," said minister Habijan, emphasising that the green transition was a strategic goal of the Republic of Croatia and an obligation at the same time, all with the aim of Europe’s becoming the first climate-neutral continent.
The Fund’s director Luka Balen also expressed his satisfaction with cooperation of all institutions involved in the project for whose realization the funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan were approved. "At EUR 218 million, this is currently one of the largest projects whose implementation is monitored by the Intermediate Body - Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund. The upgrade and modernisation of the power grid will create preconditions for the energy to supplied from new solar power plants and, in a way, this is an upgrade for all renewable energy programmes implemented by the Fund in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. Also, the number of such programmes is increasing every year," said director Balen.
The CEO of HOPS Igor Ivanković explained that the project of replacing submarine cables was executed in two phases - the first took place in 2022 when islands Dugi Rat and Brač were connected, as well as Crikvenica and the island of Krk. The second phase of the project is the follow up on connecting the islands by replacing the undersea cables Brač-Hvar-Korčula, which was completed last week, while connection of the islands in the Kvarner archipelago Krk-Cres and Cres-Lošinj is underway. He stressed that HOPS would not have achieved its investment plan without EU funds, with assistance of the Ministry of Economy and the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund being crucial. He mentioned that with their help, 40 million euros were provided from the Solidarity Fund for remediation of damage to energy infrastructure and plants caused by the earthquake.
"Projects aimed at strengthening the energy infrastructure, in accordance with the government's strategy for islands, will contribute to creating conditions for increasing the quality of life and development of the economy on our islands," said Vice Oršulić, the president of the HEP Management Board, the the president of the HOPS Shareholders Assembly.
All participants had the opportunity to visit the cable laying vessel "Atalanti" sailing under the Greek flag, which is crucial in the process of replacement of submarine cables. In total, 42 km of cables will be replaced. The new cable uses environmentally friendly technology and has a new three-core cable with XLPE insulation, which has greater transmission power.
