Geo Power Zagocha - future geothermal power plant near Slatina

At ENNA Group, we focus on projects that lead the green transformation by applying advanced technologies and sustainable practices. One such project is the construction of the Zagocha Geothermal Power Plant (GTE Zagocha) near Slatina, a geothermal project in the highest phase of development in Croatia.

ENNA Group has been developing this project since 2022, and the power plant could begin operations as early as 2028.

The planned power of the future power plant is 20MW, making it the largest ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) power plant in the European Union, and the investment value is in excess of 140 million euros. ORC technology guarantees a closed, and therefore the cleanest, electricity production system.

In 2024, the company Geo Power Zagocha entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Economy for the exploitation of geothermal water at the "Slatina 2" exploitation field for a period of 25 years, with the possibility of an extension. The conclusion of this contract allows the company to carry out operational works.

In August 2024, at the exploitation field "Slatina 2", located 15 km from the city of Slatina, Geo Power Zagocha began work on the development well Podravska Slatina GT-6 (PSGT-6).

The expected drilling depth is an impressive 5000 meters, and this demanding operation is being carried out by the company CROSCO.

For our economy, an additional benefit is the fact that more than 60% of the total investment amount spent on construction remains in Croatia (drilling, construction works, administration and documentation, design…).

At the local level, new jobs are being created, directly impacting the demographics of the local community (15 to 20 employees per power plant, holding a university degree or high school diploma).

The already used hot water, after the production of electricity and before it cools down, could be used once more for the needs of the local community – in greenhouses, plastic tunnels, drying facilities, fish farming, heating, etc.

An ideal renewable energy source

Geothermal energy is an ideal renewable energy source. It enables Croatia to use its own electricity production and thereby contributes to the country's energy independence.

Its advantage over other renewable sources is that electricity production is continuous - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and does not depend on weather conditions such as the amount of sun or wind. This fact makes GTE ideal for balancing the power system, which is increasingly connecting unstable RES. Namely, GTEs can decrease or increase electricity production capacity almost in real-time from 100% to 30% capacity, depending on the needs of the power system.

For the local community, GTE is an ideal investment because it occupies a very small land area (the smallest land occupancy relative to its power output, 8 times less than solar and 3.5 times less than wind).

At the same time, GTEs are the most environmentally friendly enrgy source because they do not affect the surrounding land, meaning there is no pollution or waste to be managed.

It should be particularly noted that compared to other renewable energy sources, GTE provides the largest contributions to the state and local community over the longest period, as the lifespan of the power plant is at least 40 years. Namely, they are allocated 5% of the revenue from the sale of electricity, as well as a fixed fee for land occupancy. In the specific case of GTE Zagocha, it involves annual revenues of more than 500,000 euros in the case of the state and municipality, and around 300,000 euros in the case of the county.

The director of Geo Power Zagocha is Ivana Ivančić, and the manager of the construction project of GTE Zagocha is Boris Vidoš.