The Krško nuclear power plant will reduce output to 80 percent on Thursday night due to high Sava River temperatures, while HEP says it will compensate for the shortfall from its own sources and market purchases.
Croatian power utility HEP announced on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, that in the event of a complete shutdown of production at the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK), it would secure the necessary amounts of electricity by engaging its own generation capacities and purchasing on the wholesale market. This statement comes after NEK announced a temporary reduction in reactor power.
"In the event of a shutdown of production from NE Krško, HEP would secure the required amounts of electricity by engaging production from other available own sources and purchasing the remaining quantities on the wholesale market," HEP stated for Hina.
On Wednesday, the Krško Nuclear Power Plant announced that, due to continued exceptional conditions on the Sava River related to hydrology and meteorology, it would begin a gradual reduction of reactor power during the night between Wednesday and Thursday, August 6, 2026. In the first step, power will be reduced to 80 percent.
"Due to the continuation of exceptional hydrological and meteorological conditions on the Sava River, NEK will, as announced, begin a gradual reduction of reactor power during the night into Thursday, August 6, 2026. In the first step, power will be reduced to 80 percent," NEK reported.
The plant explains that this is a planned and controlled temporary measure, necessary to comply with the provisions of the Environmental Permit (OVS). As stated, the temperature of the Sava River at the point of complete mixing downstream of the Brežice Hydroelectric Plant must not exceed 28 degrees Celsius on a daily average, and the average daily temperature increase must be less than three degrees.
The Krško nuclear plant is a joint production facility that annually covers about 20 percent of Slovenia's needs and 16 percent of the total annual consumption of customers in Croatia. It began commercial operation back in 1983.
It was established as a limited liability company (NEK d.o.o.) under the Agreement between the Government of Slovenia and the Government of Croatia, which has been in force since 2003. The intergovernmental and company agreements regulate relations on the basis of equal ownership shares of the two members: Slovenian GEN energija and Croatian HEP. NEK delivers the produced electricity to both parties in equal shares, operating on the principle of covering all costs without profit or loss.
The plant is expected to resume full power operation when hydrological and meteorological conditions allow.
