Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar announced on Thursday that the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (Hera) will soon release a methodology for calculating electricity and gas prices, after which mild corrections to measures aimed at protecting citizens and small entrepreneurs from the crisis may be possible.
In a statement to reporters after the Government session, Šušnjar stated that regarding electricity and gas prices, Hera will very soon, in about a week, come out with a calculation methodology.
– We had mild corrections in the Dutch market, which is a reference for determining these prices; however, we also had measures in previous years that regulated prices and ensured social cohesion and security for our citizens. As per the European Commission’s directive, we are discussing relaxing or calibrating these measures, but certainly, the Government will take care, and our primary interest is the security and availability of energy for our citizens. In that sense, I can announce that there will eventually be some mild corrections related to the measures, but prices should remain within existing frameworks or with a slight increase, which should not have negative effects on citizens and small businesses, while large entrepreneurs are currently paying market prices – said Šušnjar.
He also commented on the gas supply to the citizens of Zagreb, after Međimurjeplin won the tender for public gas supply to Zagreb residents. As he pointed out, when Hera releases the price calculation methodology, the City Gas Company of Zagreb can offer citizens a supply service based on market principles, while it is important for citizens to have a clearly defined price and the term for which they contract this service.
In response to a journalist’s question about his view on the fear in the EU of electricity shortages, Šušnjar said he did not see any excessive fear, stating, however, that Croatia is not self-sufficient in terms of energy sources but relies on imports, predominantly from neighboring countries to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
– This year, the energy problem is also a high level of drought. There has been no production, and in that sense, this can also be reflected in the data on the decline in industrial production, which is predominantly due to the decline in electricity production due to the drought year. We hope that the hydrological year will improve, and that production will increase – said the minister, adding that they need to consider measures so that energy companies can invest in additional capacities and develop their production facilities to achieve self-sufficiency.
He highlighted the geothermal potential of Croatia. – We will work together with the European Commission on developing envelopes that would help the development of this energy, given that it is relatively expensive at this moment – said Šušnjar, asserting that in this segment, Croatia could potentially export this energy.
