Croatia targets 85% gas storage levels at Okoli facility

The Croatian government has mandated that users of the Okoli underground gas storage facility near Kutina fill at least 85 percent of their leased capacity by October 1. As of mid-August, the storage level reached 77 percent, up from 51 percent in July. Energy expert Ivica Jakić expects the target to be met with a slight delay of approximately ten days. The storage has an effective availability of about 350 million cubic meters, which is estimated to be sufficient for three to four months of domestic needs.

While gas procurement costs have risen by 11 percent, the impact on end-users is being mitigated by government subsidies. For the Energa distribution area, which includes Rijeka, the subsidy has been increased from 0.0005 to 0.0046 euros per kilowatt-hour. Consequently, gas prices for households are expected to remain at current levels through the upcoming period. However, the exact costs for central heating are still pending as the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency (HERA) has not yet announced thermal energy prices.