Croatian government promotes small modular reactors as low-carbon energy; critics cite unproven tech and renewable viability.
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The Croatian Ministry of Economy is promoting small modular reactors (SMRs) as a low-carbon solution for Croatia’s energy needs, having established a working group to study potential locations for both traditional nuclear power plants and SMRs. Proponents argue that SMR technology offers flexible, safer, and faster implementation with decentralized power supply. However, critics like Greenpeace Hrvatska suggest this is a distraction from immediate climate action, offering a future “magic wand” solution. Despite claims of benefits such as stable energy supply and reduced transmission losses, the text notes that no nuclear technology is currently operational in Europe, and existing SMR prototypes in Russia and China have shown low efficiency. Furthermore, studies indicate that SMRs are still too expensive, slow to build, and risky, potentially diverting resources from cheaper, readily available renewable energy sources. Experts caution that SMRs may not be viable until 2050, while environmental groups assert that expanding solar and wind power is the only realistic path for Croatia to achieve energy independence by the end of the decade.
