Enna Geo Director discusses challenges of geothermal development in Croatia
Enna Geo has started initial work for the 20-MW Zagocha geothermal power plant in Croatia, but a delayed electricity supply tender is slowing down progress.
During an interview with the Bloomberg Adria television channel, Ivana Meašic, the Director of Enna Geo, discussed the challenges that the company is dealing with in developing and investing on geothermal projects in Croatia. Meašic also provided a few updates on the status of their geothermal projects in Zagocha and Babina Greda.
Enna Geo, a subsidiary of the Energia Naturalis (ENNA Group), is currently working on the 20-MW Zagocha Geothermal Power Plant, located in Cadavica near Slatina. Drilling had started in the site in late 2024. As Measic recounted, the company has already secured an energy permit and connection contract for the project, but is still awaiting the tender for the award of the market premium.
The Croatian Energy Market Operator (Hrvatski operator tržišta energije d.o.o. / HROTE) is in charge of conducting tenders for renewable energy in Croatia. Measic stated that they have been waiting for a year and a half for announcement of the premium tender for geothermal quotas.
“I have already seen the fourth minister, each of them supported geothermal, but if we want to have a geothermal power plant connected to the system, HROTE must urgently announce a tender for the geothermal quota,” said Meašic.
“We are about to obtain a building permit, but we are stuck because we cannot start developing the project and ordering equipment because we are waiting for this state that swears by the development of geothermal energy, but in this specific case nothing is being done,” said Meašic about the same topic, during the event “Energy from the Deep 2025” organized by Energetika Marketing.
Aside from the project in Zagocha, Enna Geo is also expecting to start the drilling of an exploratory well at the Babina Greda geothermal prospect by August 2025. The company had acquired the exploration rights to the Babina Greda 2 site in 2024, supplementing the Babina Greda 1 license that the company has held since 2022. Drilling is planned to reach a depth of 3800 meters, where fluids at 160 to 170 °C are expected.
Source: Enna Grupa
