Croatia issues third public call this summer for geothermal exploration

Croatia September 10, 2019 | Comments: 0Author: Vladimir Berbatović

Photo: Geothermal power plant Velika Ciglena (MB Geothermal)

The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency (CHA) has announced a public call to select the best bid for geothermal energy exploration in the Križevci exploration area, for the purpose of issuing an extraction license for energy use, the third such invitation issued in as many months.

The deadline to submit bids is September 7, 2019, according to an announcement from the CHA available on the website of Croatia’s official gazette.

A drilling license shall be issued for a maximum of five years and can be renewed, but not more than two times, for periods of up to six months, according to the announcement.

In late August, the CHA announced a bidding procedure for geothermal exploration in exploration areas Babina Greda 1 and Babina Greda 2, also for the purpose of issuing an extraction license for energy use, while in June it invited bids for geothermal exploration for energy use in the Karlovac 1 area, according to the agency’s website.

Construction announced of two geothermal power plants

A few days ago, Zagreb-based MB Geothermal, wholly-owned by Turkish MB Holding, signed a contract on designing a geothermal ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) power plant called Legrad, with an installed capacity of 19.9 MW. This will be MB Holding’s second major geothermal project in Croatia, after its Velika Ciglena geothermal power plant was put in operation in late 2018.

Geo Power Zagocha has announced plans to build a 20 MW geothermal ORC power plant

Earlier this year, Croatian firm Geo Power Zagocha announced plans to build a 20 MW geothermal ORC power plant in the Slatina 2 exploration area in the municipality of Čađavica, according to earlier reports.

Tendering for geothermal energy exploration in exploration areas Slatina 1, Slatina 2, Slatina 3, and Slatina 4, located on the territory of the city of Slatina and in the Sopje, Čađavica, Crnac, and Nova Bukovica municipalities, was launched in July last year.