Croatia opens first gas compressor station

The first gas compressor station in Croatia has been officially opened on its gas transmission network worth €28-million, ensuring a two-way flow on the existing link to Hungary, said the country's energy ministry.

The new facility, which is located in Velika Ludina - around 50 km (31 miles) from Zagreb - makes it possible to transport natural gas from the currently under-construction LNG terminal on the island of Krk in the Adriatic Sea.

Works on the project were undertaken by state-owned gas transmission system operator Plinacro.

Plinacro said in a separate statement that the compressor station was constructed by a consortium of local companies comprising of Monter-Strojarske Montaze, Elektrocentar Petek and SCAN, and that the equipment was manufactured by Romania's Euro Gas Systems (EGS).

Last July, Croatia received approval from the European Commission for the construction and operation of the €233.6-million LNG terminal on Krk.

The project not only comprises the construction and operation of a floating LNG terminal, but also its connections to Croatia's national gas transmission network. The terminal will have capacity to transport 2.6 billion m³ of natural gas per year into the national grid from 2021.

Using its national transmission network, Croatia will be able to deliver gas from the Krk LNG terminal to fellow EU member states Slovenia, Italy and Hungary, as well as to the non-EU nations Serbia and Montenegro. The terminal has been classified as a European Project of Common Interest since 2013, given its strategic importance for the diversification of natural gas supplies to Central and Southeast Europe.

Hungary will soon begin negotiations for the purchase of a 25% stake in the  Krk project, the government in Zagreb quoted Hungarian foreign and trade minister Peter Szijjarto as saying last month. In October 2018, Szijjarto said that Hungary is interested in the import of 1.7 bcm of natural gas per year from the LNG terminal.

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