HR

European Current Circle – 10 Years After

10.10.2014.
The ten anniversary of reconnecting the Continental European transmission network was marked on October 10 in Zagreb by a formal event organized by HOPS and ENTSO-E.

Miroslav Mesić, the President of the Management Board of HOPS, recalled the extraordinary event of the reconnection of the first and second UCTE synchronous zones, coordinated from the National Dispatching Center in Zagreb.

The synchronous European electric power system was disconnected due to war inflicted damage on energy facilities in Croatia and B&H. The reconnection required the renewal of the Ernestinovo substation and the connecting 400 kV overhead lines, construction of the Žerjavinec substation and repairing of the Konjsko-Mostar OHL. The reconection was successfully completed on 10 October 2004.

The value of this endeavour for the European electric power system was reacknowledged by Rudolf Baumann, Head of the Regional Group Continental Europe within ENTSO-E and Bente Hagem, the Vice- Chairperson of ENTSO-E Management Board.

Perica Jukić, the President of the Management Board of HEP d.d., recognized all foreign and HEP's experts whose work resulted in a technically flawless reconnection as a final act of a complex and carefully prepared process.

Ivan Vrdoljak, the Croatian Minister of Economy, pointed out this had been not only the Croatian but also the European project, into which Hrvatska elektroprovreda invested EUR 130 million, knowledge and experience of its professionals.

Following the European Current Circle video, letters of thanks were presented to main reconnection participants and panel discussion organized.