Hydro Electric Projects in Romania
The gross theoretical and
technically feasible hydropower potential is 70 000 GWh/year,
evaluated in 1986. The technically feasible hydro potential
is 36 000 GWh/year, corresponding to 11 500 MW of capacity.
The economic transition to a market economy means that it
is difficult to assess the economically feasible potential,
but it is approximately 28 000 to 32 000 GWh/year( 9100
to 10 300 MW). So far, about 42 per cent of the technically
feasible hydro potential has been developed.
The installed capacity of
all powerplants in operation is 18 653 MW, which is less
than in previous years as a result of some old thermal units
being disconnected. The installed capacity of hydro plants
is 5912 MW, which generate 16 700 GWh/year on average (25
per cent of production). In 1996, hydro plants generated
15 684 GWh.
A further 992 MW of hydro
capacity is under construction, and 921 MW is planned. The
projects under construction include some which were temporarily
abandoned after 1990 in review of the difficult economic
situation. It is hoped that the involvement of foreign investors
or multipurpose water users may provide an opportunity to
complete some of these schemes. The mean cost per kWh for
the hydro plants under construction is US¡é6 to 14/kWh (overall
lifetime costs). More accurate evaluations are still being
carried out by domestic of foreign consulting companies.
The planned projects were
designed before 1990, but insufficient funds are available
to begin construction. they include development o the Tisa
river through a joint Romanian Ukainian projects( 30 MW,
200 GWh/year).
There is significant uprating
potential at existing hydro plants: 370 MW through rehabilitation
of about 30 hydro units which have low reliability or generating
limitations as a result of deficiencies. At present this
capacity is considered permanently unavailable, although
it is included in the 5912 MW hydro capacity given above.
There is an additional potential of 206 MW through the uprating
o 14 hydro units, including the Iron Gates plant.
A 1000 MW pumped-storage
plant is planned, Tarnita Lapustesti, which will have four
250 MW units. Romaniia's first nuclear power unit (700 MW)
requires a large base load, and a pumped-storage plant was
planned to operation in conjunction with it before 1990.
However, the start of construction was delayed, again because
of lack of funds. Construction of the plant is now planned
with the help of an international loan, and Government guarantees.
Micro Hydro Electric Projects in Romania
There are 256 small, mini
or micro hydro plants in operation( up to 10 MW), with a
total capacity of 332 MW. A further 28 are under construction(70
MW), and 46 are planned (223 MW). Since July 2010, there
has been a significant increase in interest in small hydro
projects.
SHP plants construction growth
has followed a constant upward trend over the past 10 years.
The bulk of all SHP plants in Romania have been constructed
within the last 20 years.
The SHP investment opportunities
remain largely untapped, although it can be clearly stated
that the locations with the highest energy potential are
the first choice for investors.
Small hydro plants contribute
0.79% to the electricity mix in Romania. They are the second
largest contributor to RES-E production (some 3%) behind
large hydro. A considerable untapped potential exists for
SHP in Romania. 12% of the economically feasible potential
has been developed so far. The remaining economically feasible
potential is over 3 TWh/year.
The environmental requirements
are mot overly stringent with regard to SHP development
except for some issues arising from river life protection.
Permitted projects with a
sound tecnical analysis have been the subject of strong
investor interest since 2010
Investment costs for new
plants are in the range of 1 500 to 3 000€/kW,.
In East-Central Europe, hydroelectricity
already represents a substantial source of power in some
countries such as Albania (96% of total electricity generation),
Croatia (59%) or Romania (37%). Most of the potential for
future hydropower expansion lies in Romania, Bulgaria and
Albania, as well as in the former Yugoslav republics. But
despite a very large potential for future expansion, as
yet, these countries have found it difficult to secure financing
for such projects.
