The Croatian gas transmission network has made a significant step forward with the successful connection of the new Zabok-Lučko pipeline section to the existing international pipeline linking Rogatec and Zabok. The operation took place on the evening of 4 March, as part of the final phase of construction on the new pipeline route.
Construction of the Zabok-Lučko pipeline began in February last year. The 36-kilometer route is primarily laid underground, with above-ground installations only at key points such as block valve stations, pigging stations, and gas nodes. Most of the pipeline follows the corridor of existing major transmission lines between Zabok and Zagreb and along the Zagreb west-east pipeline. The project is part of Croatia’s broader effort to strengthen its gas infrastructure and was financed with support from the government through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Completion of construction and the start of trial operations are expected by the end of May.
This pipeline segment is one element of a wider infrastructure expansion linked to the enlargement of the LNG terminal on the island of Krk. The plan also includes several other pipelines designed to enhance regional supply routes, including the Zlobin-Bosiljevo pipeline, which is already operational, as well as the Bosiljevo-Sisak and Kozarac-Sisak connections.
Once the system is fully developed, transmission capacity along the route from Zlobin through Bosiljevo, Sisak, and Kozarac toward Hungary could reach up to 3.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year, depending on flows directed toward Slovenia. Meanwhile, the first phase of the Zabok-Lučko pipeline will enable transport volumes of approximately 1.5 billion cubic meters annually toward the Slovenian market.
