A first hydroelectic power plant for Baranja.
By the end of the year, the first hydroelectric power plant in Baranja should be built in Batina. That information has been confirmed by Stipan Šašlin, the mayor of Draž municipality, noting that rumours about its construction have been going on for some time, but he did not want to speak publicly about it until he was sure about the seriousness of the whole project, reports Glas Slavonije on November 23, 2015.
“The plant will be build by Vodeni Tok, a company from Nedelišće in Međimurje. They have prepared the project documentation, the preliminary project is already completed and most of the necessary permits have been obtained”, Šašlin said and pointed out that it was an environmentally-friendly project which will in no way pollute the environment.
He explained that the future hydropower plant will be a floating facility located on a platform on the Danube river, about 20 metres from the river bank, depending on water levels. Turbines will be installed under the platform. “We want to use the energy which is flowing right under our noses. This is further proof that we want to use the natural resources that we have. Also, our wish is to keep young people from leaving this region”, Šašlin said, adding that the construction of the hydroelectric power plant will open four to five new jobs and thus help reduce unemployment in the area a bit.
The electricity produced by the hydroelectric power plant will be sold to HEP, and the entire investment is worth about ten million euros. “The original intention of the investors was to build a more powerful hydroelectric plant worth 20 million euros, which would allow us to designate it as a strategic project. However, they have changed their mind, but have left open the possibility of expansion in the future”, Šašlin said and expressed his hope that the full plans will be implemented by the end of next year.
The future hydroelectric power plant should be located approximately 200 metres from Batina Bridge, in the direction of the Green Island. At that location there used to be a dump site for sand extracted from the Danube river.
In Croatia, there are currently 26 hydroelectric power plants of various sizes and types. However, Slavonia and Baranja so far do not have any such power plants. The future power plant in Batina would be one of the smaller ones, which are considered to have no adverse impact on the environment. More than 20 percent of the world’s electricity production comes from small and large hydroelectric power plants, but in Croatia they represent more than half of all production capacities. Croatia therefore belongs among the leading countries in the production of energy from renewable sources.
