By the end of 2029, all households in Croatia will be outfitted with smart electricity meters, as part of an €86.5 million investment by HEP (Hrvatska Elektroprivreda), according to reports from HRT. This initiative aims to modernize the country’s energy consumption management, bringing more accuracy and convenience to billing processes.

With the new smart meters, estimated bills, prepayments, and the hassle of bi-annual bill adjustments will be eliminated. Residents will receive monthly invoices based on their actual energy usage, ensuring fairer and more transparent payments.

The installation of the meters is quick and simple. Dujam Grgat from Elektrodalmacija Split explained that replacing a meter takes just 5 to 10 minutes per household. For example, residents of Makarska Street 11 in Split experienced only a short power interruption during their meter upgrade. While older residents might miss the familiar red light indicating cheaper electricity rates, the favorable tariff remains unchanged. The upgrade offers significant benefits beyond billing improvements, including the removal of advance payments and periodic adjustments.

HEP will also see improvements in network management, reducing energy losses and making it easier to detect system theft. Ivo Babić, Assistant Director of Elektrodalmacija Split, emphasized that these upgrades will streamline operations for HEP as well. Currently, 36% of households in Croatia have already transitioned to smart meters, with Elektrodalmacija Split having completed 40% of its regional installations. The goal is to have smart meters installed in all households across the country within the next five years.

Importantly, this modernization will not incur any additional cost to consumers, as long as they continue to pay their bills on time.