Residents warn that the corridor beneath the 110 kV line has not been maintained for five years, while HOPS assures there is currently no danger and announces upcoming works.
The prolonged drought and high temperatures have prompted residents of Varaždin to demand urgent intervention from the relevant authorities. Citizens are concerned about the overgrown route beneath the power line on the Nedeljanec, Varaždin section, where shrubs, tall grass, and trees have taken over the corridor of the high-voltage line. They fear that even the smallest spark in such dry conditions could trigger a fire.
Stjepan Plavec, a resident of Varaždin, expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs. He told HRT:
"This is the Čret forest, and there's a high-voltage line that has been overgrown with trees for years, with no one maintaining it, and there's a risk of fire. It was last maintained about five years ago."
Plavec also explained the legal tangle that frustrates owners of the surrounding land. Although there are private plots and forests beneath the power line, residents are not allowed to clear vegetation in the protected corridor on their own due to safety regulations.
"There are, of course, private plots and private forests here, but you're not allowed to do anything under the high-voltage line. We've been expropriated, and I don't know which institution is responsible for maintaining the area under the high-voltage line,"he added.
The Croatian Transmission System Operator (HOPS) is responsible for maintaining high-voltage line corridors. The institution states that their employees regularly patrol the routes and remove any potential hazards they spot. After inspecting the disputed section of the 110 kV Nedeljanec, Varaždin line, HOPS sent a reassuring message.
"On the mentioned section of the 110 kV Nedeljanec - Varaždin line, it was determined that there is no direct threat to the safe operation of the line, nor a risk of fire. Nevertheless, vegetation removal is planned and will be carried out as soon as possible,"reads their statement, released on August 3, 2026.
Although HOPS assures that the safety of the power system is not compromised, residents are not willing to wait for the weather to change. Dried grass and low vegetation could allow fire to spread quickly, and the proximity of the Čret forest only heightens concerns. The people of Varaždin therefore insist on preventive maintenance of the entire corridor and expect that the announced vegetation removal will not remain just a plan.
