In the period from December 28, 2022 to June 1, 2023, the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development held a tender for six geothermal water exploration areas: Leščan, Međimurje 5, Kotoriba, Pčelić, Sječe and Ferdinandovac-1. The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development is the holder, and the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency is the operational body that conducted the tender.
The tender resulted with 16 offers from 11 different bidders for five of the six offered research areas. In addition to renowned domestic companies, the bidders included a large number of foreign and European companies with rich experience in developing geothermal energy projects.
The total works include the construction of 21 geothermal wells, and the value of the offered exploration works is EUR 191.7 million. The total value of investments in the case of positive research results and established potential, as well as project realization in its entirety, amounts to over EUR 400 million.
The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, based on the conducted tender, issued permits for the exploration of geothermal waters in the research areas as follows:
• "Leščan" and "Međimurje 5" - to the company INA-INDUSTRIJA NAFTE d.d.
• "Pčelić" and Sječe" - to the company IGeoPen d.o.o. (the bidder relies on a company from the UK)
• "Kotoriba" - to Viola Energy Generation d.o.o. (the bidder relies on a company from Turkey)
Not a single offer was received for the research area "Ferdinandovac", and therefore the Commission proposed to cancel the tender.
The results of the competition and the issued permits for the exploration of geothermal waters are available at: https://mingor.gov.hr/o-ministarstvu-1065/djelokrug/uprava-za-energetiku-1999/naftno-rudarstvo-i-geotermalne-vode-za-energetske-svrhe/dozvole-5536/5536