The 9th HO CIRED Conference Successfully Held

The most significant professional event in the field of electricity distribution in Croatia, the 9th HO CIRED Conference, was held from May 25 to 27, 2025, at Hotel Ivan (Solaris, Amadria, Šibenik), gathering over 500 participants.

The Conference was held under the patronage of HEP d.d. and the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Croatia, with the presence of Minister Ante Šušnjar. The gold sponsor was Končar, represented at the opening by Management Board member Ivan Paić. Silver sponsors included Siemens Croatia, represented by Director Mario Valčić, and ABB Croatia, represented by Management Board member Dario Jarak.

The Conference was officially opened by the President of HO CIRED, Anton Marušić, who welcomed the attendees and addressed them on behalf of the President of the HEP Management Board.

In his speech, Marušić emphasized that in an era of rapid technological change—such as the development of smart grids, e-mobility, remote metering, and the integration of renewable energy sources—experience, flexibility, and innovation are becoming key prerequisites for successful distribution system management.

“Today, around 1300 MW from renewable sources are already connected to the Croatian distribution network, equivalent to the capacity of a large power plant, with output fluctuating from nearly zero to the maximum (1300 MW), distributed across more than 30,000 individual locations. This spatial dispersion, variability, and technical complexity present an unprecedented challenge for network operators,” said Marušić, President of the HEP DSO Management Board. He added that Croatia has strong foundations in the power sector, not only through large systems and companies but also through numerous smaller enterprises whose knowledge and experience contribute to system development.

“The profession is the key driver of optimization and maximum utilization of existing capacities, while ensuring reliable electricity supply. CIRED, as a leading international association of experts, is precisely the place where new solutions and ideas are found,” Marušić concluded.

Other speakers included Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar, President of the HERA Governing Council Nikola Vištica, Končar Management Board member Ivan Paić, President of CIRED BiH and Director of EP HZHB Drago Bago, and Secretary General of HRO CIGRE Goran Slipac.

During the opening ceremony on May 25, the President of HO CIRED presented awards for outstanding professional contributions to the development of the power system. Awards were given to Tomislav Antić from FER, Ivan Perišić from Končar, consultant Hrvoje Keki, and engineers from HEP Distribution System Operator: Tomislav Alinjak, Dorijan Pađan, Deni Ćetković, Branimir Gabrić, and Kristijan Frani Ćavar.

Following the awards ceremony, a panel discussion was held on the topic “Challenges Facing the Power Distribution System in the Energy Transition.” Panelists included Krešimir Ugarković, Ivan Periša, and Anđelko Tunjić from HEP DSO, Minea Skok from the Energy Institute Hrvoje Požar, Lahorko Wagmann from HERA, and Stjepan Sučić from Končar. The panel was moderated by Professor Tomislav Capuder from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing.

As part of the Conference, 24 companies—equipment manufacturers and their representatives—organized an exhibition showcasing their products and technical solutions in the field of electricity distribution.

The HO CIRED Conference concluded on May 27. Over the course of two days, authors presented 119 technical papers across seven study committees.

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Published: June 2025