Romanian Hydropower Projects

Hidroelectrica has initiated a tender to select a contractor for the final phase of the Nehoiașu 2 hydropower project, a 55 MW facility located on the Buzău river in Romania. According to the published tender, the selected company will be responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of mechanical and electrical equipment, as well as staff training and the expansion of the 110 kV transformer station within the Surduc-Siriu hydropower complex. The project is valued at EUR 49.5 million excluding VAT and is currently reported to be 85 percent complete. The implementation period following contractor selection is expected to last 44 months.

Nehoiașu 2 is intended to complement the existing cascade of hydropower plants on the Buzău river, which collectively total more than 76 MW of installed capacity. The facility is planned to use a 55 MW Francis turbine and generate an estimated 152 GWh annually. Environmental requirements have also been incorporated into the project, including obligations to ensure ecological flow downstream of the Surduc dam and measures to protect local communities. The Ministry of Environment has issued a draft environmental approval that outlines additional safeguards and confirms that the reservoir will have a capacity of 400,000 cubic meters.

Image Credit: