Project completion and transmission network upgrade
Croatia has completed construction of the Zabok–Lucko trunk gas pipeline, a project valued at around €80 million. The upgrade is described as one of the most significant recent improvements to the country’s gas transmission network. Plinacro said the new infrastructure is expected to improve system flexibility and increase capacity for gas flows toward Slovenia and other neighboring markets.
EU financing and scope of construction works
The project was financed through the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. It forms part of a broader strategy linked to the expansion of the LNG terminal on Krk Island and the modernization of Croatia’s gas infrastructure. Construction activities included pipe procurement, installation of the transmission line and associated facilities, and system testing.
Works also covered resolution of property and land access issues along the route. The pipeline was completed on schedule and within its planned budget, according to project information provided for the transmission upgrade.
Technical challenges along rivers, railways and motorway crossings
Engineers reported technical challenges during construction, especially in sections where the pipeline was installed beneath the Sava and Krapina rivers. Additional difficulties were associated with crossings under railway lines and a major motorway. Much of the route followed an existing gas corridor, which was intended to limit additional land use and environmental disruption.
Plinacro investment program and expected cross-border capacity
Plinacro stated that the Zabok–Lucko section is part of a wider investment program for Croatia’s gas transmission system. The program includes the already completed Zlobin–Bosiljevo pipeline, alongside segments still under construction: Bosiljevo–Sisak and Sisak–Kozarac. Once all planned upgrades are finished, transport capacity toward Slovenia is expected to reach around 1.5 billion cubic meters per year.
Plinacro also indicated that flows toward Hungary could rise to as much as 3.5 billion cubic meters annually, depending on system conditions. The operator added that the new pipeline is intended to help accommodate higher gas volumes from the Krk LNG terminal.
