Croatia’s HEP launches tender for 56 MW solar project backed by the EBRD

Croatia’s state-owned energy company Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP) has launched a two-stage tender with prequalification for the construction of the Sukošan solar power plant in the Adriatic municipality of Sukošan. According to the tender notice, the project предусматриває an installed capacity of 56 MW and a grid connection capacity of 45 MW.

The contract scope also includes the possible installation of an internal battery energy storage system with a capacity of up to 200 MWh, pointing to a model that combines renewable generation with flexibility and grid-balancing capabilities. The deadline for submitting applications for the prequalification stage is 12 May 2026.

The construction of the Sukošan solar plant is part of the broader HEP Sukosan and Zelovo investment package valued at around EUR 110 million, which also includes the development of the 36 MW Zelovo wind farm in the municipalities of Muć, Hrvace and Sinj in Split-Dalmatia County. The wind farm is expected to have a grid connection capacity of 30 MW.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering a loan of up to EUR 100 million to support this project package, underscoring the high level of institutional backing for Croatia’s transition to renewable energy.

IDR comment 

The launch of this tender shows that Croatia is moving beyond standalone renewable projects toward more complex infrastructure solutions in which solar generation is integrated with energy storage from the outset. This approach is indicative of a broader shift across the Danube–Adriatic area, reflecting a new logic of the energy transition: not only expanding green generation capacity, but also creating the technical conditions necessary for its stable integration into the grid.

For Ukraine, this case is important as an example of how state-owned energy companies, with the support of international financial institutions, can implement large-scale hybrid projects that combine generation, system resilience, and long-term decarbonisation.