Croatia’s first large-scale standalone 60 MW BESS goes live

Slovenian energy technology company NGEN and Croatian investment platform NextGrid Energy have officially opened a 60 MW / 120 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Šibenik, Croatia. The companies said it is Croatia’s first large standalone battery project of its size connected to the transmission grid. 

The facility, known as BESS Šibenik, is located at the IMPOL-TLM industrial complex, with official inauguration taking place on November 4. The city is on the coast of Croatia, and north of Dubrovnik and some 50 km south of Zadar.

The site was built in phases, with a first 10 MW / 20 MWh phase entering market operation in January 2026. The site uses Tesla Megapack XL BESS, with the project connected to the country’s 110 kV transmission grid. Photos of the site appear to show Sinexcel PCS equipment

According to the project partners, the battery has been providing automatic frequency restoration reserve (aFRR) services under a contract with Croatian electricity transmission system operator HOPS since September 2026. The project has supported the balancing market on a fully merchant basis, helping the grid operator manage real-time deviations between electricity generation and consumption.

The project was developed and delivered jointly by NGEN and NextGrid Energy, under the joint venture NGEN Smart Energy Systems, and delivered for the owner, IE-Energy, which is referred to as a joint-stock company. NGEN served as the main engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and technology partner. NGEN developed the software platform and control system, which automatically monitors market and grid conditions while optimizing the system’s operation every 15 minutes and operated as a VPP.

“Together with our partner NextGrid Energy, we developed and delivered BESS Šibenik, the first large standalone battery system connected to the Croatian transmission grid,” said Roman Bernard, CEO and co-founder of NGEN Group.

NGEN further detailed the merchant basis, saying it has no guaranteed revenues, with income depending on demand for flexibility services, and that its owners and investors fully bear the market risk. 

The project received backing from the EU Modernisation Fund, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Raiffeisen Mandatory and Voluntary Pension Funds and IE-Energy. According to previous EBRD disclosures, the roughly €60 million project included a €16.8 million equity investment from the EBRD, a further €16.8 million equity investment from Raiffeisen Mandatory and Voluntary Pension Funds and a €16.5 million capital expenditure grant from the EU Modernisation Fund.

NGEN said it is planning additional energy storage projects in Croatia and across Central and South-Eastern Europe. In September, the company commissioned an 85 MW / 170 MWh BESS in Austria.