Croatia is considering at least three small modular reactor (SMR) NPPs, according to energy expert Ivica Jakić. He told HRT’s Studio 4 that the government’s decision should be viewed in the context of wider European energy policies.
The European Commission (EC) and OECD have called for the phasing out of subsidised energy prices, pushing Croatia to adapt its strategy. While subsidies for the general public are ending, support remains in place for vulnerable groups through vouchers and small and medium-sized enterprises are also protected.
Although Croatian National Bank Governor Boris Vujčić has voiced concerns over possible inflationary pressures, Jakić noted that Croatia still enjoys some of the lowest energy prices in Europe, behind only Hungary and Romania. However, he emphasised that recent increases in gas and electricity tariffs are not driven by market instability but by the need to align with European Union rules.
Jakić highlighted how recent international agreements, particularly between the US and UK, have accelerated the development of advanced SMRs. In addition, the EU now classifies nuclear power, including SMRs, as a low-carbon source.
Croatia’s government has yet to determine the size of its planned reactors, but Jakić confirmed that the aim is to build at least three units, each consisting of multiple smaller modules. This decentralised model would reduce the need for long-distance electricity transmission and strengthen energy security. “Nuclear energy is accepted as the energy of the future,” he said. “Croatia has chosen to move in that direction.”
Earlier, Economy Minister Ante Šušnjar said nuclear could boost Croatia’s energy security, with options ranging from SMRs to a conventional plant. The decision on whether the project would feature SMRs or a conventional facility will be left to experts.
Šušnjar called nuclear energy a “geopolitical and security gain” for Croatia and suggested that EU funding from the Multiannual Financial Framework could help finance the project. Although the minister he did not name any candidate sites, he recalled that in the former Yugoslavia, the authorities had looked at Ivanić Grad, Erdut on the Danube, and Vir island as possible locations for a conventional plant. Erdut was dismissed due to its wine-producing region and Vir due to its importance for tourism. Recently, Plomin in Istria emerged as another possibility. The Plomin thermal power plant will shut down in 2032, making the area a potential candidate for nuclear development.
In February, the Ministry of Economy established a Nuclear Energy Working Group to develop a legislative framework for nuclear energy as one of the low-carbon options; prepare the ground for the establishment of the Nuclear Energy Institute or Agency as an independent regulatory body; and participate in the development and analysis of energy development scenarios. It will also investigate possible sites for the development of nuclear capacity, either conventional NPPs or small modular reactors (SMRs).
Croatia already operates the Krško NPP jointly with Slovenia, and talks are ongoing about building a second unit there. Currently, Croatia co-owns 50% of the existing Krško plant, which supplies about 14.4% of its electricity needs. That plant’s lifespan ends in 2043.
However, Slovenia’s proposal for a second Krško unit has fuelled political and expert debate. Novi List reported that Slovenia’s proposal is far less favourable for Croatia than the current management model. Slovenia reportedly offered a 25% share, but without decision-making rights. Moreover, Croatia could not draw electricity from the new unit, only profit from its sale on the Slovenian market. Croatia must respond by the end of September, but officials are expected to reject it.
However, the Slovenian authorities denied that they had sent Croatia an offer for the joint construction of the Krško 2 NPP. The office of Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob, Minister of the Environment, Climate & Energy Bojan Kumer, and GEN Energija, the company in charge of the project, all denied proposing any offer.
At the last bilateral meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Vinica, Prime Minister Golob informed him about activities related to preparations for the decision on the construction of a new nuclear unit in Krško, the prime minister’s office added. Kumer stressed that Slovenia has not made any offer to Croatia. He noted that Slovenia has only just begun spatial planning for a potential new plant. Slovenia first needs to do its homework and set a business model, and then it could begin talks about a joint venture, Kumer added.
