On Friday, February 29, the President of the Republic of Croatia, Stjepan Mesić, accompanied by Željko Tomšić, Assistant Minister of Economy and Chairman of HEP Supervisory Board, visited the building site of Lešće – the first hydro power plant being built in the independent Croatia.
This special event was also attended by the newly appointed members of HEP d.d. Management Board, Darko Dvornik and Željko Kljaković-Gašpić, as well as director of HEP Proizvodnja Željko Dorić and his associates, President of Management Board of Končar Elektroindustrija, Darinko Bago, President of Management Board of Konstruktor, Željko Žderić, Director of Končar KET, Tomi Dužević and numerous journalists. In his address for the occasion, Mr. Tomšić informed President Mesić about business results, current situation, basic mission and business objectives of HEP. The leader of Lešće Construction Team, Čedo Radić, presented the most interesting data about the construction and significance of the future 42.29 MW Lešće hydro power plant for a wider area of Karlovac County and the Croatian electricity system. The main construction works began in December 2006, the plant was planned to be completed within 35 months. Until now, 80 percent of the underground structure of the powerhouse has been completed and currently underway is the installation of spiral casings of main generating sets. Concrete has been laid on 50 percent of the dam structure and 80 percent of hydromechanical equipment has been installed. President Mesić then made a tour of the Lešće building site and got acquainted with numerous details of the construction. In his statement to the press, Mr. Mesić assessed the future Lešće hydro power plant as exceptionally useful, considering the plant a bypass in the coming time when electricity shortage is expected in our system.
