Recent energy statistics reveal a significant shift in Croatia’s energy production landscape, particularly in electricity generation. In December 2025, the country recorded a total net electricity production of 1,389 GWh, marking a 10.1% decline from the 1,545 GWh produced in December 2024. This downturn raises concerns regarding the sustainability of domestic energy resources and the increasing reliance on imports.
The breakdown of electricity generation indicates that hydropower remains a key player, contributing 558 GWh, which constitutes 40.2% of the total output. Thermal power plants followed closely with 472 GWh, accounting for 34%. Wind energy contributed 241 GWh, or 17.4%, while solar power’s share was limited to 38 GWh, representing 2.7%.
In terms of electricity trade, Croatia imported 1,118 GWh during this period, reflecting a minor decrease of 1.2% compared to the previous year’s imports of 1,131 GWh. Conversely, exports saw a more pronounced reduction, plummeting to 711 GWh, which is down by 19.7% from last year’s figure of 885 GWh.
The hydrocarbon sector presents a more mixed picture. Natural gas production increased to 66 million cubic meters, up by 3.1% year-on-year. However, this positive trend contrasts sharply with the substantial rise in natural gas imports, which soared to 287 million cubic meters, reflecting an increase of 58.5%. On the crude oil front, production decreased by 7.2%, totaling only 39,000 tons. In contrast, petroleum product output rose to 324,000 tons, compared to last year’s production of 299,000 tons.
The statistics underscore a clear trend: while domestic electricity generation is on the decline—primarily due to reduced thermal and hydropower output—Croatia’s dependency on energy imports and natural gas is intensifying. This reliance poses challenges for energy security and may necessitate strategic policy adjustments to enhance domestic production capabilities and reduce vulnerability to external market fluctuations.
