Slovakia’s electricity distribution network is set for a major overhaul after the European Investment Bank ( EIB) approved a EUR 350 million ( USD 408 million) loan for the Zapadoslovenska energetika (ZSE) Group. The funding will support a multiyear programme aimed at modernising key parts of the energy grid, including upgrades in and around Bratislava.
According to the original report, much of the investment will be channelled into projects in the western and eastern regions of the country. The programme covers high, medium, and low-voltage infrastructure, with plans to renew overhead lines, lay new underground cables, and upgrade transformers and substations. ZSE will also deploy smart technologies and greater automation across the network.
The EIB believes these measures will strengthen the stability and quality of electricity supply, while also improving the country’s attractiveness to industries reliant on reliable, modern energy infrastructure. Marek Mora, EIB vice-president responsible for Slovakia, described the loan as the largest corporate financing the institution has signed in the country so far. He said it reinforced the bank’s longstanding partnership with Slovak businesses.
Mora added that updating the distribution grid would help reinforce Slovakia’s economic foundations at a time when electrification is expected to rise sharply. He linked the investment to longer-term ambitions for sustainable growth, quicker job creation and greater energy independence.
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A significant share of the funding has been earmarked for regions that stand to benefit from faster and more balanced social and territorial development. The project is in line with Slovakia’s National Energy and Climate Plan and at the same time supports wider EU priorities, including the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU initiative.
ZSE Group CEO Markus Kaune welcomed the loan, calling it a crucial step in enabling the company to modernise and expand its network. He noted that ZSE’s investment level has nearly doubled since 2022, and that the financing will allow the company to maintain this pace over the next three years.
The EIB Group said it remains committed to backing Europe’s energy transition and is progressing towards its target of supporting at least EUR 1 trillion (USD1.16 trillion) in green investment by the end of the decade. Between 2021 and 2024, the bank mobilised more than EUR 560 billion ( USD 652 billion).
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