Prapretno, 22 September 2026 – Holding Slovenske elektrarne (HSE), Slovenia’s leading renewable energy producer, today officially inaugurated units 2 and 3 of the Prapretno Solar Power Plant which are equipped with a battery energy storage system, marking the start of its trial operation. The complex consists of nearly 18,000 solar panels with a total installed capacity of 9.8 MW and an estimated annual production capacity of 10 GWh. This is the first energy project in Slovenia co-financed by the European Union’s Just Transition Fund.
The Prapretno Solar Power Plant has been an example of successful transformation of the former coal mining region of Zasavje since 2022, when its first unit started operating. With the construction of the plant’s second and third units, the brownfield site of a former ash and slag landfill has taken on a new development role, becoming one of Slovenia’s most visible renewable energy generation sites. Jernej Vrtovec, Minister for Infrastructure and Energy, highlighted the importance of the project during the opening ceremony: “Projects like this demonstrate how just transition funds can serve as a concrete driver of development in regions that have relied on coal mining for decades and are now seeking new development opportunities. Slovenia must stay open to new clean technologies and new energy production solutions that can increase domestic energy production, reduce import dependency and ensure affordability and security of energy supply in the long run. The Prapretno Solar Power Plant is an important piece in this mosaic. Its particular value lies in the integration of the battery storage system, the involvement of local community, and educational dimension. The Solar Educational Trail can serve as a tangible symbol of a reborn Zasavje region – a region that respects its past while looking to the future with hope.”
The Prapretno Solar Power Plant is a modern energy facility that combines solar electricity generation with on-site energy storage. Its 7 MW battery energy storage unit with a capacity of 14 MWh enables more efficient electricity management and greater operational flexibility, providing additional support to the stability and resilience of the energy system. Dr Tomaž Štokelj, Chief Executive Officer of HSE, a company driving the green transition in Slovenia’s energy sector, said: “The construction of new renewable sources and energy storage facilities is particularly important in the light of the current geopolitical situation or recent developments in the world, which increase the uncertainty of gas and oil supplies, with the prices of these energy products becoming more and more unpredictable. Projects like this one in Prapretno reduce Slovenia’s import dependency and increase the resilience of Slovenia’s electricity system and the state as a whole. The HSE Group, as the spearhead of Slovenia’s green transition, will continue to play a decisive role in this process.”
The construction of the Prapretno Solar Power Plant was supported by regular and proactive collaboration between the investor and the local community. Uroš Podobnik, Chief Operating Officer of HSE, said: “Prapretno is not only the largest solar power plant in Slovenia; it is also a project built on partnership – a partnership that we intend to further strengthen through future energy investments in Zasavje and across Slovenia. Collaboration with the municipalities of Trbovlje and Hrastnik is an example of good practice, focusing on opportunities and mutual benefits rather than the challenges associated with the construction and siting of new energy facilities. We see the Zasavje region as a true driver of the country’s energy transition. It is our pleasure and honour to be part of this story.”
Mayor of the Municipality of Hrastnik Marko Funkl confirmed that the collaboration between HSE and the municipality has always been proactive: “Zasavje was one of the country’s main energy pillars in the past. After the closure of the mines, we have taken small but steady steps to put the Zasavje region back on the energy map. We have achieved an important milestone with the largest solar power plant in the country which is also equipped with a battery energy storage system. The Prapretno Solar Power Plant was constructed on the site of a former ash and slag landfill, demonstrating how smart land-use decisions can help repurpose former industrial sites in an optimal and sustainable way. The surroundings of the power plant remain open to visitors, and we are also working to arrange access to the plant itself. In addition, the HSE Company has just signed an agreement with the municipalities under which a 10% share of the energy generated will be made available the local community at a more favourable price. This gives local communities a greater role as they can optimise consumption of electricity for public purposes. We have maintained a really constructive dialogue with HSE throughout the years – the kind of cooperation we would have hoped to see with all investors. We are confident that the Zasavje region will reemerge as an important player in the energy market.”
Mayor of the Municipality of Trbovlje mag. Zoran Poznič added: pa dodaja: “Prapretno is one of the clearest examples of how sites that relied on energy for decades can be given a new development opportunity. This site is inextricably connected with the history of Zasavje. For decades, it lived with and for energy. Today, on this same site, we are witnessing a new form of energy. And this is the essence of a just transition – transformation of the past.
However, the energy of the future must be rooted in the memory of the past. To understand where we are heading, we must first understand where we come from. The solar power plant and the battery storage system represent the technological foundation of this transformation, while the Solar Educational Trail adds its human dimension. This trail is therefore important for both Trbovlje and the region of Zasavje. It will preserve and share the story of a place where energy once came from the depths of the earth and now comes from the light, connecting generations and illustrating how the way we produce and use energy is evolving. The Solar Educational Trail gives this transformation a broader interpretative dimension. It is not a space with a fixed meaning, its significance evolves based on our knowledge, needs and societal development.”
The Prapretno Solar Power Plant is the first Slovenian project to receive support from the European Union’s Just Transition Fund. The nearly €7 million project received €3 million from the Fund. On this occasion, Barbara Jermol Marcinčák, Deputy Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia said: “The European Commission has allocated €258 million to Slovenia through the Just Transition Fund. These funds support the development and innovation of local economies, improve the affordability of housing and accelerate energy transition. Units 2 and 3 of the Solar Power Plant Prapretno received €3 million from the Fund. This is an excellent example of a just transition in practice – the transformation of former industrial land into a source of clean energy capable of supplying 1,600 households while putting the former mining region on the map of the future energy system.”
The opening ceremony also marked the launch of the Prapretno Solar Educational Trail. The 1.7-kilometre trail will take visitors on a journey through the area’s past showcasing the transformation of the Prapretno plateau, the use of solar energy as a source of renewable energy, and the operation of the power plant and the battery energy storage system. Developed by the HSE staff, the educational trail represents the investor’s contribution to the development of the local community. As part of its commitment to social responsibility and the local community, HSE also made two donations to support the Trbovlje Kindergarten and the Zasavje Demo Park.
Source: Public Relations and Marketing Communication Department of HSE
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