Croatia Targets $50B, 1 GW AI Data Centre with Support from Končar and Greenvolt
A major renewable energy integration agreement has been announced as part of Croatia’s planned €50 billion Project Pantheon AI Development and Innovation Centre, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Europe. The project, unveiled at the Three Seas Initiative Business Forum in Dubrovnik, will include a 1 GW artificial intelligence data centre, positioned to become the largest of its kind in the European Union.
Portuguese renewable energy company Greenvolt has been selected as a strategic energy partner responsible for constructing a 500 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic solar power plant dedicated exclusively to powering the data centre.
The solar facility is intended to form a core component of the project’s energy supply strategy, ensuring that a significant share of the centre’s electricity demand is met through on-site renewable generation. The agreement highlights the growing role of large-scale data infrastructure in driving utility-scale renewable energy investment across Europe.
Alongside Greenvolt, Croatia’s Končar Group will be responsible for building a dedicated electrical substation and approximately 280 kilometres of high-voltage transmission lines to support the facility.
The infrastructure is designed not only to serve the AI centre but also to strengthen Croatia’s broader national electricity grid, improving stability and enabling future renewable integration.
Officials involved in the project estimate that upgrades linked to Pantheon could allow for the integration of up to 5.2 GW of additional renewable energy capacity currently unused within Croatia’s power system.
The project is being developed as a hybrid energy system, combining:
- Dedicated renewable generation (Greenvolt’s 500 MW solar plant)
- Major transmission infrastructure upgrades
- Grid balancing and expanded private generation capacity
Developers say this structure could help reduce long-term dependence on imported electricity and potentially support lower wholesale electricity prices through increased domestic generation capacity.
In addition to its energy design, the facility will operate independently of Croatia’s municipal water system, relying on on-site wells and closed-loop cooling systems designed to prevent chemical discharge into the environment.
Total associated infrastructure investment is estimated at around €500 million, covering electricity, transport, and optical fibre networks.
The project is expected to generate:
- Over 3,000 jobs during construction
- Around 1,500 permanent operational roles
- Up to 6,000 indirect jobs in the wider economy
Project representatives, including Croatian co-owner Jako Andabak, stated that the initiative positions Croatia as a rising hub for advanced computing and renewable-integrated industrial infrastructure.
Greenvolt’s participation reflects a broader European trend in which renewable energy developers are increasingly tied to hyperscale AI and data centre projects, where stable, low-carbon electricity supply is a critical requirement.
Končar CEO Gordan Kolak described the initiative as part of a broader transformation of Croatia’s energy system, shifting away from hydrocarbons toward domestic renewable energy production and grid modernization.
Source: balkaninsight.com
