Dravske elektrarne Maribor, Slovenia’s largest renewable power producer, gets new management
Franci Mihelič took over as general director of Dravske elektrarne Maribor (DEM) on 1 November and Samo Iršič as director, both for a full four-year term. The new management takes charge of the HSE group company during a major investment cycle, from the reconstruction of the Formin hydropower plant to the Kozjak pumped-storage project.
EuroEnergy Newsroom · 
Slovenia · 2 min read
Dravske elektrarne Maribor (DEM), the HSE group company that describes itself as Slovenia’s largest producer of electricity from renewable sources, has new management. According to a company statement dated 2 November, Franci Mihelič took over as general director on 1 November and Samo Iršič as director; both were appointed by the founder for a full four-year term.
Who the new directors are. Mihelič spent most of his career at Magna Steyr in Graz, in management and specialist roles covering digital transformation, energy efficiency and cybersecurity. Iršič holds a master’s degree in management and has more than 28 years of leadership experience; he was a board member and chairman of Mariborska livarna Maribor and has served in the supervision of Elektro Maribor, RTV SLO and Siol reported.
What changed. Andrej Tumpej, who had led the company as acting general director since late December 2025, ended his mandate on 31 October and returns to his role as adviser to the management. He had taken over after the resignation of Damjan Seme, which came amid the controversy over the purchase of an old wind turbine for the Mali Log site in Loški Potok. According to the daily Večer, HSE had extended Tumpej’s interim mandate for a second time in July 2026.
The numbers. According to the company, DEM operates eight large and three small hydropower plants on the Drava river, as well as four solar power plants. The new management takes over during a major investment cycle: reconstruction of the Formin hydropower plant and the Markovci weir, further development of the Kozjak pumped-storage project, larger investments in solar plants and new generation capacity.
What comes next. “My vision is for Dravske elektrarne Maribor to remain a reliable pillar of Slovenian energy in the future,” Mihelič said, stressing that important development challenges lie ahead. Iršič said he would work for efficient operation of the company and cooperation with employees.
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