Interconnector A Step to Croatian Energy Security

Natural gas has begun to flow through a newly-built gas interconnector between Croatia and Hungary.

Croatian state-controlled gas transmission system operator Plinacro said the first quantities of natural gas were shipped on August 3rd.

The 293 km long, two-way interconnector between Croatia’s Slobodnica and Hungary’s Városföld, has an annual capacity of 6.5 billion m3. The interconnector is operated Plinacro and Hungary’s Földgázszállító, a company controlled by MOL.

The interconnector is the first completed element of the North-South gas corridor, which envisages connecting the Świnoujście LNG terminal in Poland via the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary with the Adria LNG terminal on the Croatian island of Krk.

The interconnector significantly improves the energy security of Croatia, supplying an estimated one  billion m3 of natural gas annually (the suppliers being ENI and E.ON), allowing Croatia to withdraw completely from gas supplies presently offered by Russian firms.