Connection to the electric power network
System operators are responsible for connection to the electric power network. HEP Distribution System Operator d.o.o. is responsible for connection to the distribution network, and the Croatian Transmission System Operator d.d. is responsible for connection to the transmission network.
The connection is linked to the building or part of the building, in accordance with the Regulation on issuing energy approvals and establishing the conditions and deadlines for connecting to the electric power network, the Rules on connection to the distribution network or the Rules on connection to the transmission network. The building or part of the building must meet the technical and other requirements prescribed by the Network Rules of the distribution system for connection to the distribution network or by the Network Rules of the transmission system for connection to the transmission network.
In the process of establishing of the connection, the investor or the owner of a building or part of a building that is being connected enters into the agreement with the transmission system operator, defining deadlines and conditions for connection. Exceptionally, in cases of simple connection the connection contract is not signed, and the deadlines and conditions of connection are defined in the connection offer.
The connection fee is determined in accordance with the Decision on the fee for connection to the electric power network and increase in connected load and the Methodology for setting fees for the connection to the electric power network for new network users and for increasing the connection capacity for existing network users. The connection fee is to be paid by the investor or the owner of the building or part of the building that is being connected to the network (new network user) or by the existing network user for increase in the connected load on the existing connection.
Network usage
The legal or the natural person whose building or part of the building is connected to the electric power network enters into a Network use agreement with the system operator, defining the network usage.
Electricity supply
The end customer can choose the electricity supplier to enter into electricity supply contract with, as prescribed by the Electricity Market Act, the Rulebook on general terms and conditions of network usage and electricity supply and the chosen supplier’s conditions.
In case of an active customer, the electricity supply contract can regulate electricity takeover and payment of electricity that end customer or active customer transfers into the network (so called provisions on electricity redemption).
The end customer has the right to enter into an electricity supply contract and obtain electricity provided by an electricity supplier that can have a seat in any EU Member State, under the condition that it operates according to applicable rules of participation in electricity markets in Croatia.
The list of undertakings that hold a license for the energy activity of electricity supply in the Republic of Croatia can be found at the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency’s website and the list of active electricity suppliers can be found at the CROATIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR’S d.o.o. website.
Public service of electricity supply
In the Republic of Croatia there is one customer supplier within public service of electricity supply, i.e. the supplier within public service obligation, and that is HEP ELEKTRA d.o.o. The public service of electricity supply refers to both universal supply and the guaranteed supply.
The universal supply is public service that ensures the right of customer from the household category to public service of electricity supply under equal conditions on the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia. The customer from the household category that does not choose a market supplier or for any other reason has no supplier (without a special request) is supplied by HEP ELEKTRA d.o.o. as part of the universal supply. The price of electricity within the universal supply is determined by and published by HEP ELEKTRA d.o.o. on its website. A customer from the household category supplied by a market supplier can any time go back to the supply within the universal service, after termination of the existing electricity supply contract.
The guaranteed supply is a public service of electricity supply which ensures the right of the customer from a non-household category to electricity supply under the same conditions on the entire territory of the Republic of Croatia. The guaranteed supplier supplies the customer from the non-household category with electricity under the regulated conditions, without any special request, in case when the customer’s electricity supply contract expires or in case its electricity supplier exits the electricity market. The amounts of tariff items for guaranteed electricity supply are determined by and published by the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency on its website according to the Methodology for determining tariff items’ amounts for guaranteed electricity supply.
The procedure in case of change of building ownership
When there is a change of ownership in case of a building or part of a building that is already connected to the network, the new owner has the right to enter into Network usage agreement and the Electricity supply contract in its own name, as prescribed by the Rulebook on general conditions of network usage and electricity supply. The rules for allocation of costs of electricity supply and costs of network usage are prescribed by the Rulebook on general terms and conditions for network use and electricity supply and the Rules for delimiting consumption and meter reading under the supplier switch procedure of HEP-ODS.
Temporary end customer
The end customer or the active customer may temporarily transfer the rights and obligations from the Network use contract to the third person, for example in case where a building or part of a building is leased, in accordance with the General terms and conditions for network use and electricity supply. At the same time the third person can choose the electricity supplier and becomes temporary end customer.
Change of supplier
The end customer has the right to change the supplier in accordance with the Rules for electricity supplier and aggregator switching. Customers from the household category have the right to change the supplier collectively in accordance with the General terms and conditions for network use and electricity supply.
Comparison of suppliers
Customers from the household category and customers from the non-household category (with the expected annual consumption of less than 100,000 kWh) can compare models and tariffs offered by electricity suppliers using the informative tool for comparison of suppliers’ offers, available at the CROATIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR’S d.o.o. website.
End customers can also use other tools for comparison of offers of those suppliers that are certified by the CROATIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR d.o.o. and the links to their tools are published on its website.
Quality of supply
Quality of electricity supply is quality of voltage, reliability of supply at the point of import or export of electricity as well as the quality of services provided to network users.
The end customer that is not satisfied with the supplier’s quality of service is entitled to file a complaint to the supplier, which should be solved in a simple, fair and quick manner.
Complaints and objections
In accordance with the Electricity Market Act the network user whose network access has been denied or limited or is dissatisfied with network access conditions can file a complaint to the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency and there are also regulations with regards to protection against procedures by the universal supplier or the guaranteed supplier, the distribution system operator and the transmission system operator by filing a written complaint to the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency.
According to the General terms and conditions for network use and electricity supply the end customer can dispute bills within 20 days of the date of their issue, whereby in case of a single bill, the objection is filed to the supplier and the supplier is obliged to reply within 15 days of the date of the reception thereof.
The right to file a complaint or an objection is also prescribed by regulations concerning connection to the distribution or the transmission network.
Vulnerable electricity customers
Customers from the household category with the right to be supplied within the universal service and who choose or use that supply category automatically and have obtained the vulnerable customer status from the relevant social welfare authority, have the right to receive special protection in accordance with the Electricity Market Act and other laws regulating the energy sector and the social welfare.
The Regulation on the criteria for obtaining the vulnerable energy customer status from the networked systems determines the criteria for obtaining the vulnerable energy customer status from the networked systems and the method of collecting resources to reduce energy poverty of vulnerable customers by means of social welfare.
The Regulation on the monthly amount of allowance for vulnerable energy customers, manner of participating in the payment of energy costs of the beneficiary of the allowance and the practice of the Croatian Social Work Institute prescribes the amount of allowance for the vulnerable energy customer, manner of participating in the payment of energy costs of the beneficiary of the allowance and practice of the Croatian Social Work Institute concerning recognizing the right to receive the allowance for vulnerable energy customer.
Disruptions on the local energy market
The Regulation on removing disruptions on the local energy market, due to the disruptions on the local energy market, prescribes special measures for electricity trading, the manner and the conditions for determining prices for certain electricity customers’ categories, the supervision of implementation of prices prescribed by the Regulation and special conditions for performing energy activities. The special measures are temporary and are valid for the period from April 1, 2023 until March 31, 2025.
Relevant authority and regulations
Ulica grada Vukovara 78
10 000 Zagreb
+385 1 6106 111
Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency
Ulica grada Vukovara 14
10 000 Zagreb
+385 1 6323 700
Croatian Transmission System Operator d.d.
Kupska ulica 4
10 000 Zagreb
+385 1 4545 111
HEP-Distribution System Operator d.o.o.
Ulica grada Vukovara 37
10 000 Zagreb
+385 1 6322 111
Last updated on 12 December 2024