Plinacro d.o.o. (Croatia)

Plinacro d.o.o. is a company located in Zagreb, Croatia. The company's history dates back to 1954 when the construction of the first main gas pipeline from Janja Lipa to Zagreb began. This pipeline, which was completed in 1959, marked the start of the utilization of natural gas as an energy source in Zagreb. In 1956, approximately 18 million cubic meters of gas were transported from Kloštar to Zagreb. This year is considered the start of the gas transmission activity in Croatia. A significant milestone in the company's history was the discovery and production start-up of the gas field Okoli in 1963. This event revolutionized the technology of natural gas production, preparation, and transmission. The gas transmission system was upgraded from an operating pressure of 25 bar to 50 bar, allowing for increased natural gas production and improved economic and energy evaluation. In 1978, the international gas pipeline connection Rogatec−Zagreb was put into operation, connecting the gas transmission systems of Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia. This connection enabled natural gas import into Croatia. In the 21st century, Plinacro d.o.o. implemented three development-investment cycles that expanded the gas transmission system to cover 95% of the Croatian territory. These cycles involved the construction of approximately 1100km of new gas pipelines, allowing for gas supply from the northern Adriatic, Lika and Dalmatia regions, as well as central and eastern Croatia. This expansion also facilitated gas import from Hungary in 2011. In 2020, the company constructed its first compressor station, enabling bi-directional gas flow and the transmission of large volumes of gas at the interconnection with Hungary. Additionally, the main gas pipeline Rogatec – Zabok was reconstructed to allow for bi-directional gas flow with Slovenia. In early 2021, Plinacro d.o.o. completed the construction of the Zlobin - Omišalj evacuation gas pipeline and the LNG terminal on the island of Krk. These projects enhanced the security and stability of gas supply to Croatia. Furthermore, the bi-directional interconnections with Hungary and Slovenia improved the security and stability of gas supply to central and southeast Europe.