Slovenia Wants a Hydropower Plant Next to the Border – Croatia Says No

November the 1st, 2026 – Slovenia wants to construct a new hydropower plant next to the border with Croatia, but Croatia is, so far, totally against the plan. Croatia currently completely opposes neighbouring Slovenia’s intention to build the Mokrice hydropower plant on the Sava River, which would be located about 450 metres from the Croatian border. Index reports that there is concern that the project could ecologically endanger the Sava as it enters into the territory of Croatia and call into question the supply of drinking water in that area, whose sources also supply Zagreb with water. HRT reports that energy expert Ivica Jakić and director of the Slovenian company HESS Boštjan Pišotek spoke about this topic. potential problems for croatian drinking water This is otherwise a hydropower plant that would be the last in a series of six facilities on the lower course of the Sava. Slovenian Minister for the Environment and Spatial Planning Polona Rifelj announced the relaunch of the procedure for deciding on the predominance of the public interest of energy production over nature conservation, reports N1 Slovenia. The Croatian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition opposes the project due to the possible deterioration of the condition of surface and groundwater downstream of the dam. The organisations Croatian Society for the Protection of Birds and Nature, CEE Bankwatch Network and Biom have also warned of the risks. According to their claims, existing Slovenian hydropower plants have already reduced the transport of sediments towards Croatia, which has contributed to the deepening of the Sava riverbed and the lowering of the groundwater level in the wider Zagreb area. The associations warn that the construction of HE Mokrice, downstream from the confluence of the Krka River with the Sava, could further worsen the situation and endanger the sources of drinking water for Zagreb. The Croatian ministry also states that the benefits of the project would remain on the Slovenian side, while Croatia would bear the negative consequences. Among the possible impacts, additional erosion of the riverbed, endangerment of fish habitats and protected areas of the Natura 2000 network are highlighted. slovenia: the project is in line with all rules and regulations HESS director Boštjan Pišotek said that this is a project that is being developed in accordance with European rules. “Croatia was informed about the procedure from the very beginning, about 15 years ago when the development of the Mokrice hydropower plant project began,” Pišotek said. He emphasised that cooperation with Croatia has several levels and that this resulted in Croatia giving a positive opinion on the placement of the Mokrice hydropower plant in the space. The Slovenian Ministry for the Environment and Spatial Planning earlier stated that Croatia can participate in cross-border consultations and put forward comments, but that it does not have a right of veto on the project. The decision on issuing the permit remains within the competence of the Slovenian authorities, while respecting international and European regulations. croatia will link up its own system Energy expert Ivica Jakić explained how the Croatian Multipurpose Hydraulic System Zaprešić would link up with the Slovenian hydropower plant. “The Mokrice hydropower plant must come from the Slovenian side to solve for the Slovenians the problem of soil deepening and the problem of deposits. It is a logical solution that Slovenia is looking for and wants to have,” Jakić said. He added that Croatia will link up with its own system. “It will solve the stabilisation of the water flow and the deepening of the soil. It will help us, but also Slovenia in further regulating the flow of the Sava River through the Croatian part,” Jakić concluded. The post Slovenia Wants a Hydropower Plant Next to the Border – Croatia Says No appeared first on Total Croatia .