Grid development
Updated: 07.02.2019
Author: Stefan Ćetković
There are no direct obligations for the grid operators to expand their grids to enable the connection of RES-E plants (Art. 3 General Electricity Supply Conditions). However, the grid operator is obliged to outline the grid development plans in accordance with the Energy Strategy Plan of the Republic of Croatia and the National Renewable Energy Action Plan.
Procedure
| Process flow | The transmission and distribution system operators develop the 10-year grid development plans in consultation with all relevant parties. The development plans are submitted for the approval to the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency who is responsible for adopting the plans (Art. 30 § 35 and Art. 40 § 17 Electricity Market Act). |
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| Enforcement of claims | A RES-E plant operator cannot legally claim the expansion of the grid. |
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| Deadlines | The transmission and distribution system operators develop and update the 10-year grid development plans every year. The plans have to be submitted annually by 30 September for the approval to the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (Art. 30 § 35 and Art. 40 § 17 Electricity Market Act). |
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Regulatory incentives for grid expansion and innovation
There are no direct measures to encourage grid expansion.
Distribution of costs
| Consumers | By paying grid use charges, the consumers themselves finance the expansion and maintenance of the grid. |
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Grid studies
The main energy policy in matters of future investments and expansion of the grid is settled in the Energy Strategy of the Republic of Croatia (Art. 5 Energy Act). The latest strategy is from October 2009 (Energy Strategy 2009, Official Gazette 130/09).
Point 6.4. of the strategy contains provisions to promote grid development, allowing more producers to connect to the grid and to enhance the entire transmission grid in order to allow higher electricity transmissions rates (especially at bottleneck points).
The Energy Strategy and the Electricity Market Act obliges the Croatian transmission and distribution system operators to annually prepare and update programmes for grid development, which need to be approved by the Croatian Regulatory Energy Agency.
The Croatian transmission and distribution system operators have established 10- year grid development plans, which include the integration of renewable energy plants in the electricity grid. These plans were published respectively in March and December 2016 and are available through the following links:
Croatia