March 7 (SeeNews) - Croatia's gas transmission system operator Plinacro said on Thursday that the Zlobin–Bosiljevo gas pipeline, an investment project totaling 155 million euro ($169 million), is scheduled to come into operation in 2025.
The port of Rijeka is currently unloading the pipes for the pipeline, which is under construction by a consortium led by Zagreb-based civil engineering company Monter-Strojarske Montaze, Plinacro said in a press release.
The financing for the construction of the 58-kilometre pipeline in northern Croatia has been secured by the Croatian government.
The pipeline will help Croatia reduce reliance on Russian gas and enable Plinacro to maximise the transmission of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the terminal on the island of Krk to its full current capacity of about 3.5 billion cubic metres per year. In addition, the pipeline will increase gas transit towards Hungary and Slovenia.
In August 2022, the Croatian government approved a total investment of 180 million euro to expand the country's gas pipeline network and more than double the capacity of its existing LNG terminal to secure the country's natural gas supply and become a regional energy hub. The investment included building the Zlobin - Bosiljevo gas pipeline, as well as an investment of 25 million euro to lift the annual regasification capacity of the LNG terminal on Krk to 6.1 billion cubic metres from 2.9 billion cubic metres.
The floating LNG terminal on the Krk island started operating in January 2021. It delivers natural gas to the Croatian national transmission network, which is connected to fellow EU member states Slovenia, Italy and Hungary, as well as to non-EU members Serbia and Montenegro.
($ = 0.918 euro)