ZAGREB, 14 March (Hina) – The €140 million construction of the Zlobin-Bosiljevo gas pipeline has been completed, and this enables the Plinacro company to have an increase in the gas transport capacity from the Krk terminal from 2.9 to 3.5 billion cubic metres of gas per year.
A ceremony marking the completion of this project was held at Bosiljevo on Friday with the government officials in attendance.
The commencement of €78 million works on the Lučko-Zabok gas pipeline was also marked today.
The construction of the 58-kilometre-long Zlobin-Bosiljevo gas pipeline was financed by the government from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism funds, as part of the “Supporting Infrastructure for the LNG Terminal Strategic Investment Project.”
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated at the ceremony in Bosiljevo that the government aims to ensure complete energy security for Croatia regarding gas, through the diversification of supply routes.
“In this crisis, Croatian businesses and households have not experienced gas shortages, and energy prices have remained affordable,” Plenković said.
The Zlobin-Bosiljevo pipeline creates conditions for increasing the security of gas supply to consumers in Croatia, as well as further development of the gas pipeline system and the expansion of gas transport to Hungary and Slovenia.
Construction and engineering works began in November 2023, with the contractor being a domestic consortium led by Monter Strojarske MontaЕѕe from Zagreb.
When the main gas pipeline Zabok-Lučko is completed, and the works are expected to be finished in 15 months, it will increase the flexibility of managing existing transport capacities and significantly boost the pipeline capacity towards Slovenia.
The construction of the two gas pipelines, as well as the main gas pipelines Bosiljevo-Sisak and Sisak-Kozarac, will further increase the capacity utilisation of the Krk terminal and the transport system towards Hungary (from 1.7 to 3.5 billion cubic metres of gas per year) and towards Slovenia to a total of 1.5 billion cubic metres of gas per year.
This is expected to have a positive impact on reducing transport tariffs for customers in Croatia.
Plinacro CEO Ivica Arar said that the company has completed all necessary actions on time, which has ensured that Croatia is now stable in terms of energy and independent of gas from Russia.
Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said that Croatia is confirming its focus on a safe, reliable, and sovereign energy future.
Over €530 million has been allocated for the mentioned projects, with the ultimate goal of ensuring a reliable supply of more than six billion cubic metres of gas annually for Croatia and its neighbours, extending even to Bavaria. “Strengthening the transport network has a multidimensional impact, from industry and entrepreneurship to households and local communities,” said Šušnjar, adding that all new gas pipelines are also capable of transporting hydrogen.
