State Secretary at the Ministry of Environment and Energy Ante Cikotic met with the representatives of the town of Otocac, research institutions and associations and discussed the continuation of the construction of Kosinj-Senj hydropower system.
On that occasion, the Ministry presented the study containing an analysis of the possible revision of rehabilitation and upgrade of HPP Senj and pumped storage HPP Vinodol, made by the experts of the Institute for electricity and energy in cooperation with external associates. The representatives of Otocac and the Institute consider that the continuation of the project for the construction of Kosinj-Senj hydropower system, namely the second phase of the existing system, which is being developed by stateowned power utility HEP, is not the optimal solution because it will lead to submergence of large areas, thus preventing further development of the entire region.
According to the Institute, the official project that includes the construction of hydropower plants Kosinj and Senj 2 is less favorable than the other model, which would be based of HPP Svica and HPP Senj. In case of the realization of the official model, over 800 hectares of land would be submerged which would be more expensive, while the second model envisages the submergence of just 100 hectares, thus providing irrigation system and enables the development of agriculture in the region.
State Secretary Cikotic said that the Ministry will consider all possible solutions, taking into account the impact of the project on the local community, by developing feasibility studies for both variants.
In August 2014, HEP published the invitation regarding expressions of interest for the strategic partnership in the development of the hydropower plant project Kosinj-Senj. The project implies the construction of two new accumulation lakes and two new HPPs, with 30 MW and 350 MW output. The future hydropower complex Kosinj-Senj should produce the electricity during peak hours. In this moment, HPP Senj has been producing some 1 TWh of electricity per year, while the power output of the future hydropower complex should be 30 % higher.
