Last week the realization of the 110 kV submarine cables project replacement commenced. The project kicked off with the laying of the first submarine cable at the Postira (Brač) – Dugi Rat section, in the length of 7,300 metres. This is the first stage of the strategic investment project spearheaded by the Croatian Transmission System Operator for the period until 2024. Activities started in the previous years, but on 13 June 2019 the project was included in the List of Strategic Projects of the Government of the Republic of Croatia based on the decision of the Committee for Assessment and Determination of Proposals for Strategic Projects of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development.

The objective of the project is to secure a safe and reliable supply for customers on Adriatic islands, to enable the development of tourism and further construction of tourist and industrial facilities, to retain the population on the islands and to give an important ecological contribution to preserving cleanliness of the Adriatic Sea. The Republic of Croatia has also signed the European Union Clean Energy for EU Islands initiative, which contains a long-term framework that will help the islanders produce their own sustainable energy. Without a high-quality connection between such new sources and the rest of the power system energy exchange will not be possible.

The project is fully financed through a grant from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021 – 2026. The total project value for all six sections planned is HRK 440 million, and the completion of works is expected in June 2024. KONČAR won the contract for the first two stages, worth HRK 91 million.

It is important to note that new cables are made using XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) insulation, which represents a contribution to the ecology of the Adriatic Sea and the coastal area, as well as to green economy.

The first stage of the project was successfully completed this week by laying the northern section from the mainland to the island of Krk.