Zagreb, 31 August 2026 (Hina/MIA) -- Croatia's summer electricity demand has overtaken winter peaks, driven in part by tourism and increasingly widespread use of air conditioning, with a record hourly load of 3,400.5 MWh recorded in August, according to the Croatian Transmission System Operator HOPS.

The shift from higher winter to higher summer peaks has emerged in recent years amid warmer summers and winters and increased electricity consumption in tourist areas. The winter peak in 2025 was 3,264.2 MWh, while the summer peak in 2024 reached 3,362.8 MWh and 3,150.1 MWh in 2025.

Electricity consumption in the first seven months of 2026 also rose for the third consecutive year, reaching 10.632 million MWh – about 1% more than in the same period last year and 1.9% more than in 2024. January consumption was particularly high, up 7.7% year-on-year and 10.5% higher than in January 2024, while July consumption was 1.662 million MWh, slightly above 2025 but about 8% below the 2024 record.

HOPS said heatwaves clearly affect demand, but their impact varies depending on factors including the day of the week, duration of the heatwave, humidity, wind, holidays and even major sporting events. The full impact of this summer's heat on August consumption cannot yet be assessed because monthly data are not available.

One factor behind the rise in summer electricity consumption is the increasingly widespread use of air conditioners. However, system operators do not have data on the number of installed air-conditioning units and heat pumps, making it impossible to precisely determine their individual impact. At the same time, such devices are increasingly being used for heating as well, with inverter air conditioners capable of providing sufficient heating even in continental Croatia during winter.