Dispatch from Croatia | June '26
***Our weekly Dispatches provide an overview of the most relevant recent and upcoming developments for the shift to climate neutrality in selected European countries, from policy and diplomacy to society and industry. For a bird's-eye view of the country's climate-friendly transition, read the respective 'Guide to'.***
26 Jun 2026, 08:00
Katarina Gulan, Marina Kelava
Stories to watch in the weeks ahead
- Nuclear Energy Act – In June, the Act on the Development of Nuclear Energy for Civil Purposes entered into force to provide a framework for the technology's future use. The act stipulates that nuclear power should cover at least 30 percent of Croatia’s total electricity consumption by 2040, and it requires the government to draft an additional law to determine the location of future nuclear power plants. The government must also present an action plan by the end of the year – outlining activities, responsible bodies and deadlines – and a programme within the coming twelve months to set out the strategic framework, long-term goals and measures for nuclear energy development.
The latest from Croatia – last month in recap
- Electricity exporter – Croatia temporarily became a net exporter of electricity in the first quarter of the year thanks to abundant precipitation, which drove strong growth in hydropower production, according to the association Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia. Electricity consumption rose by two percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 5,096 gigawatt hours (GWh). At the same time, the total available electricity reached 5,227 GWh, four percent more than in early 2025. Renewable energy sources accounted for 62.2 percent of available electricity, with hydropower plants remaining the most important individual source at 39 percent of total electricity. Solar power plants increased production by 51 percent compared to the same period last year, while wind farms recorded a decline of 13 percent due to weaker wind conditions. The Krško Nuclear Power Plant delivered 758 GWh, the same as last year, accounting for around 15 percent of total available electricity.
- Building energy renovation – The Croatian government has earmarked an additional 124 million euros for the energy-efficient renovation of 269 multi-apartment buildings, with the money coming from revenue for the sale of carbon emission allowances. The buildings in question met the requirements of an existing grant programme but could not be financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan due to limited funds. The aim of the measures is to reduce energy consumption from heating and cooling, to respond to the impact of the latest energy crisis, and increase the resilience of citizens and the economy to future disruptions in energy markets. By 2030, Croatia plans to renovate 6.3 million square metres of multi-apartment buildings.
Katarina’s picks – reading recommendations & events
- Secrets of the Pipeline, by Marina Kelava, is a good read because it shows that energy infrastructure is as much of a technical issue as it as a political and environmental one. Through the story of the Southern Gas Interconnection, Kelava tackles several important issues: why the public does not have access to permits for a project that is supposed to be financed with public funds, whether earlier environmental impact assessments are still relevant, and why new gas projects continue to be strongly promoted at a time when Europe is moving away from fossil fuels.
All texts created by the Clean Energy Wire are available under a “Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0)”. They can be copied, shared and made publicly accessible by users so long as they give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.