The project for the construction of this 58 MW wind farm, located near Benkovac, was initially developed by the local company HELB. The cost of the project was estimated to some 80 million euros in 2016, but HEP now plans to invest 65 million euros in its construction. Wind farm Korlat will be the first such facility to participate directly in the electricity market, without prior participation in any kind of support schemes which subsidy electricity produced from renewable sources.
Croatian electricity market operator HROTE signed a temporary contract with state-owned power utility HEP, the operator of 58 MW Korlat wind farm, on the facility’s participation in the electricity market during its trial operation.
According to HEP, the wind farm’s expected annual output of 170 GWh, or 1 % of the annual electricity consumption in Croatia, will be enough to supply more than 50,000 households. HEP already signed a contract with Nordex for the supply of wind turbines and the plant should be commissioned in August 2020.
In early 2019, HEP has launched a public invitation for the expression of interest for joint development and construction of renewable energy (RES) facilities in Croatia and the integration of completed or highly developed renewables projects into its production portfolio. Through this invitation, HEP is looking for partners interested in the development and sale of RES projects in Croatia, including local governments interested in the construction of solar power plants. The invitation also refers to the sale of off-grid solar power plants under development, with an installed capacity of at least 2 MW, the sale of wind energy projects under development, the sale of operational wind facilities, the sale of hydropower plants under development with an installed capacity of at least 1 MW, and the sale of already operational HPPs with an installed capacity of at least 1 MW.