Electricity & gas in Croatia: your rights

The market

You can choose any electricity supplier; HEP Elektra provides the regulated universal service. For gas you can take a market offer or stay on the public service supply in your area at a HERA-set price. HERA is consulting on a new gas model and price deregulation from 1 October 2027.

Energy regulator

Hrvatska energetska regulatorna agencija (HERA)

Dispute resolution

Hrvatska energetska regulatorna agencija (HERA) · free

There is no separate energy ombudsman. First complain in writing to your supplier; if unhappy, go to its Consumer Complaints Committee (Povjerenstvo za reklamacije potrošača). HERA also handles complaints and appeals from customers.

Compare prices official

Alat za usporedbu cijena električne energije (HROTE); za plin: Alat za usporedbu cijena plina (HERA, cijeneplina.hera.hr)

Switching supplier

Switching electricity supplier is free and must be completed within three weeks of your request. Your new supplier arranges it. Your old supplier sends a final bill within six weeks.

Price rises

Your electricity supplier must tell you directly about a price change at least 30 days before it applies, with the reasons. If you do not accept it, you may end the contract.

Regulated price

From 1 Oct 2026 to 31 Mar 2027 the government caps the household electricity energy price for all suppliers: 0.091324 EUR/kWh single tariff (VT 0.097189 / NT 0.047688) up to 3,000 kWh per six months; above that 35% more. Household gas on public service stays subsidised and unchanged.

Help if money is tight

Low-income households with vulnerable-customer status (e.g. guaranteed minimum benefit, national benefit for older people) get 70 EUR a month towards electricity, gas or heat until 31 March 2027. Apply at your regional office of the Hrvatski zavod za socijalni rad.

Protection against cut-off

If you do not pay, the supplier must first send a written reminder. Only then can it ask the grid operator to cut supply, and the grid operator sends you a notice before doing so. Suppliers must tell households about alternatives such as payment plans; HEP Elektra offers instalments once a year.

If your supplier goes bust

Every household has a legal right to the universal service (univerzalna usluga), a public electricity supply on the same terms throughout Croatia, provided by HEP Elektra. If your supplier stops, you can be supplied under this service.

Power cut

For a power cut call the free number of your HEP ODS distribution area (0800 300 401 to 0800 300 421). You can get compensation from the grid operator if supply is cut without justified reason.

Cooling-off period

Under the Consumer Protection Act you can cancel an energy contract signed at the door, by phone or online within 14 days of signing, without giving a reason.

Smart meter

There is no full household smart-meter rollout yet. HEP ODS ran a pilot with smart meters for 24,000 customers in 5 of its 21 areas. Rules on refusing a smart meter could not be confirmed.

Solar panels

Households with solar panels (kupac s vlastitom proizvodnjom) may feed surplus power into the grid at the same metering point. The surplus is bought by your supplier or another offtaker under a contract; exact payment rules are set in the renewables law.

Fixed and dynamic contracts

Under the Electricity Market Act, a supplier with more than 200,000 metering points must offer a dynamic-price contract to a customer with a smart meter who asks for one. Other suppliers may offer it. Fixed-price contracts are not yet a separate legal obligation.

• On 25 September 2026 the Sabor passed amendments to the Electricity Market Act. According to the Government, they bring more flexible contract models that give customers price security. The date they take effect is not yet confirmed. (mingo.gov.hr)
• A dynamic price follows spot-market prices, so you need a smart meter. Most households do not have one yet: HEP ODS has only run a smart-meter pilot so far. (hep.hr)

Energy sharing and communities

Households in the same multi-apartment building can act together as a group of active customers, for example with a shared solar plant. Citizens can also set up a citizen energy community (energetska zajednica građana), a legal entity controlled by its members.

• Amendments passed by the Sabor on 25 September 2026 regulate the sharing of renewable energy. According to the Government, they simplify procedures for sharing energy locally. Detailed rules and start date are not yet confirmed. (mingo.gov.hr)

Heating without the gas grid

District heating prices are regulated: HERA sets the tariff amounts for heat production and distribution for each heating system, under the Heat Market Act (Zakon o tržištu toplinske energije) and its own methodologies.

• With HEP-Toplinarstvo you can dispute a heat bill in writing within 15 days of the bill date. If unhappy with the answer, go to the Povjerenstvo za reklamacije potrošača. (hep.hr)
• Bottled and tank LPG (UNP) has a maximum retail price set by government regulation (Uredba o utvrđivanju najviših maloprodajnih cijena naftnih derivata). Each regulation applies for 7 days; the latest took effect on 29 September 2026. (mingo.gov.hr)

Grants for heat pumps and insulation

The Fond za zaštitu okoliša i energetsku učinkovitost (FZOEU) co-finances energy renovation of family houses: insulation, renewable heating and hot water (e.g. heat pumps) and solar panels for own use. Owners living in the house apply in FZOEU public calls.

• FZOEU's programme page states up to 60% of eligible costs (up to 80% for earthquake-damaged houses), at most €62,120 per application. Houses may have up to 600 m² and/or three residential units. (fzoeu.hr)

Back-billing and estimated bills

HEP ODS reads household meters every six months (180 ± 15 days). In between you pay monthly amounts based on estimated use; after the reading you get a six-monthly settlement bill. Any difference is added to or deducted from later bills.

• You can ask HEP ODS for self-reading: send your meter reading every month and get a monthly bill based on it. If your real six-monthly use differs by more than 30% from what you reported, you lose this option for three years. (hep.hr)
• HEP Elektra's supply terms: if you paid more than you used, the overpayment is deducted from your next bill(s), after any existing debt is covered. (hepi.hep.hr)

Energy costs for tenants

In buildings on district or central heating, a heat customer (kupac toplinske energije) acts in the name and for the account of the co-owners. Co-owners choose it by majority of ownership shares. Heat allocators on radiators split the building's heat costs between flats.

• Disconnecting from the heating system is only possible with the consent of all end customers on the shared meter and prior approval of the distributor and supplier. (hera.hr)

Grid connection

For a simple household connection, HEP ODS must issue the electricity approval (EES) within 15 days of a complete request and send a connection offer, valid for two years. It must build the connection within 30 days of full payment of the connection fee.

• The 30-day build deadline applies only if your installation meets the conditions for a network-use contract. These rules were adopted by HEP ODS in 2023 with HERA's prior consent. (hep.hr)

Consumer organisation

Središnji portal za potrošače (Ministarstvo gospodarstva), besplatni telefon 0800 414 414