Slovenia completes power interconnection with Croatia, Hungary

Slovenia’s transmission system operator ELES completed the Cirkovce-Pince overhead power line in time and established an interconnection with Hungary. Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob, Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Croatia Davor Filipović attended the official launch.

The Cirkovce-Pince transmission line and the Cirkovce substation juncture is the largest investment in the transmission network infrastructure in Slovenia, the government said after the inauguration ceremony. The project contributes to the integration into the European Union’s electricity market, laying the foundations for future regional exchange, according to the announcement.

The 80.5-kilometer overhead power line connected Slovenia with Hungary. A small section passes through Croatian territory. The electricity link and substation project, run by Slovenia’s transmission system operator ELES, is valued at EUR 160 million, of which EUR 48 million came from the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility. It is also included in the list of projects of common interest (PCIs).

Cirkovce-Pince is the first electricity interconnection between Slovenia and Hungary

The Cirkovce-Pince dual 400 kV line has been integrated into the existing line between Hungary and Croatia, operating as a two-system line: one system connected to the Hévíz substation in Hungary and one to the Žerjavinec substation in Croatia. The construction lasted 23 months to June 30 of this year.

In April 2019, state-owned ELES began work on the Cirkovce 400/110 kV substation, and completed it in August 2022.

Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob expressed confidence that a gas interconnection with Hungary could be built

Accelerated investment in electricity and gas infrastructure is exactly what will enable Europe to become energy independent (especially of energy supplied from the East) and to switch to renewables, Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob said. He expressed confidence that a gas interconnection with Hungary could be built.

Golob officially opened the facility with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Croatia Davor Filipović.