Croatia says electricity supply secure as Krško nuclear power plant reduces output
- by croatiaweek
- in News
Krško Nuclear Power Plant (Photo: Jane Zdrilc/Public domain)
ZAGREB, 6 August 2026 (Hina) – Croatia’s electricity supply will remain secure even if production at the Krško Nuclear Power Plant is temporarily halted, according to Hrvatska elektroprivreda (HEP).
The reassurance comes after the jointly owned Slovenian-Croatian nuclear plant announced it would reduce reactor output to 80% capacity from Thursday due to exceptionally high temperatures and low water levels in the Sava River.
HEP said that, if production at Krško were to stop completely, it would meet Croatia’s electricity needs by increasing generation from its other available power plants and purchasing any remaining required electricity on the wholesale market.
Croatia’s Ministry of Economy said the Croatian and Slovenian governments are working closely together to ensure the plant continues operating safely and reliably despite the challenging weather conditions.
The ministry added that it remains in constant communication with the Slovenian authorities and is jointly monitoring the situation to safeguard both electricity production and security of supply.
According to the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, the reduction in output is a planned and controlled temporary measure designed to comply with environmental regulations.
Under the plant’s environmental permit, the average daily temperature of the Sava River downstream of the Brežice Hydroelectric Power Plant must not exceed 28°C, while the increase in water temperature caused by the plant must remain below 3°C on average.
The operator said it expects to gradually return the reactor to full power once river and weather conditions improve.
The Krško Nuclear Power Plant, which began commercial operation in 1983, is jointly owned by Slovenia’s GEN energija and Croatia’s HEP under a bilateral agreement that came into force in 2003.
The plant supplies around 20% of Slovenia’s electricity needs and approximately 16% of Croatia’s annual electricity consumption, with the electricity shared equally between the two countries.
