In early October, the Administrative Department for Construction, Environmental and Nature Protection, and Municipal Services of Lika-Senj County received a notification marking the start of trial operations for Croatia’s newest small hydropower plant, SHPP Otočac. The facility is located at the outlet of an underground tunnel that diverts the waters of the Lika River into the Gacka River, feeding into the Senj hydropower system.
The application for the trial run was submitted by the Zagreb-based company Male Hidre, which developed the plant as a joint venture between Končar and HEP. The testing phase is being conducted in accordance with the construction permit issued in July 2022.
SHPP Otočac has an installed capacity of 1.5 MW and is expected to produce approximately 7 GWh of electricity per year. A notable feature of the plant is its innovative submerged hydro unit, developed as part of Končar’s in-house research and development program.
