Croatia approves power infrastructure for 1GW AI data centre
Author: Joe Peck
Croatia’s national transmission system operator, HOPS, has approved the power infrastructure blueprint for data centre developer Pantheon AI‘s planned 1GW hyperscale AI campus in Topusko, marking a key milestone for the project.
The approval confirms the technical and regulatory feasibility of supplying electricity to the proposed facility and supports plans for construction to begin in early 2027.
As part of the proposal, more than €500 million (£427 million) of electricity transmission infrastructure will be developed, including 280km of new transmission lines, fibre-optic networks, a 400kV substation in Topusko, and associated road infrastructure.
According to Pantheon AI, the completed infrastructure will be transferred to the Republic of Croatia for long-term ownership and operation.
Grid investment to support renewable energy growth
The company says the planned infrastructure will also enable access to more than 5GW of renewable energy capacity that is currently constrained by limitations within the national electricity grid.
Pantheon AI also explains that the planned 310-acre hyperscale AI data centre has been designed to NVIDIA’s ‘GW-Scale AI Factory’ standards.
Mario Gudelj, Project Director at Pantheon AI, comments, “Croatia’s largest-ever private investment is moving forward as a direct result of momentum from the unique partnership driving this project: Croatian expertise, US capital, world-class partners in Končar and Greenvolt, and continued support from the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Croatia and HEP (a state-owned utility company).”
The project team includes Končar Group, Dalekovod Projekt, Parsec Lab, Latham & Watkins, Hodgson Russ, PwC, KPMG, and EU Energy Group. Sisak-Moslavina County has also formally recognised the development as being of special regional importance.
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