The Republic of Croatia covers an area of 56,538km2 and has a population of 4.36M. The average annual precipitation is 975mm and the total average precipitation volume is 55km3, of which 27km3 is run-off.
There are 29 large dams in operation, 20 embankment dams and nine concrete ones. The total storage capacity of all the dams is 1.17×109m3.
Croatia has a gross theoretical hydro power potential of 20,000GWh/yr, a technically feasible potential of 120,000GWh/yr, and an economically feasible potential of 10,500GWh/yr.
There is 2076MW of hydro capacity in operation, of a total power plant capacity of 3637MW or 57%. Most of the hydro capacity, 1667MW, are multi-purpose projects.
There are three hydro projects under consideration for development in the near future:
• Lesce.
• Kosinj.
• Podsused.
Lesce is on the Dobra river and will incorporate a 52.5m high concrete gravity dam, impounding a 25.7×106m3 reservoir. It will have a hydro capacity of 41.36MW and mean annual generation will be 106.9GWh.
The multi-purpose Kosinj project is the second stage of the Senj plant. The Kosinj reservoir will be formed by three rockfill dams: Kosinj (58m high), Bakovac (45m) and a saddle dam (13m). The capacity of the plant will be up to 28MW, for annual production of 47GWh.
The Kosinj reservoir will provide flood protection, improve water supply and agriculture and also allow for an increase in production at the Senj hydro scheme from 1064GWh to 1310GWh.
The Podsused project is on the Sava river. This will be a multi-purpose scheme, which will improve the Sava river course and its tributaries, provide flood protection, maintain groundwater levels, improve agriculture, and produce hydro power. There will be a 28m high gated dam and run-of-river hydro plant with two 21.5MW Kaplan units. Annual production will be 219.3GWh.