Hidroelectrica to have EUR 800 million budget for HPP upgrades by 2020
State-owned power utility Hidroelectrica will have EUR 800 million at its disposal by 2020 to modernize the hydropower plants (HPPs) it currently operates, according to Romania’s draft Energy Sector Strategy for the period 2018-2030 with projections until 2050, local media reported. The strategic document also envisages EUR 2.5 billion in investments for completing new hydropower […]
Experts warn small hydropower plants destroying natural resources for negligible amounts of electricity
After local residents jumped up clamoring against the construction of small hydropower plants (SHPPs) across Serbia, experts have joined the protest too… Ratko Ristić, dean of the Belgrade university’s Faculty of Forestry, Željko Tomanović, dean of the Faculty of Biology, Dejan Filipović, dean of the Faculty of Geography, Dušan Polomčić, dean of the Faculty of […]
Hidroelectrica to forge cooperation with Verbund
State-owned Hidroelectrica plans to sign a cooperation agreement with Austria’s electricity producer Verbund, Romanian media reported. The approval of the cooperation agreement between the biggest power producer in Romania and the largest provider of electricity in Austria is on the agenda of the next General Shareholders Meeting planned to take place in October, Romania’s portal […]
Thousands rally against small hydropower plants on Mt. Stara Planina
An “ecological autonomy” of Mt. Stara Planina will be declared if the authorities fail to put a moratorium on all small hydropower plants (SHPPs) there in the next few days, according to the organizer of a protest that gathered thousands of people in Pirot on September 2, including environmental activists, mountaineers, associations’ representatives, university professors, […]
Citizen initiative organizing protest in Pirot against construction of SHPPs in protected areas
A citizen initiative to Defend the Rivers of Mt. Stara Planina is organizing an environmental protest in Pirot in southeastern Serbia to begin at 5 pm on Sunday, September 2, over its two demands – that 58 small hydropower plants (SHPPs) be struck from the Pirot municipality’s spatial plan and to put a moratorium on […]
Tendering procedure launched to lease locations for 18 SHPPs
Public water management company Srbijavode has launched a tendering procedure to lease locations for the construction of 18 small hydropower plants (SHPPs). A single bid can refer to only one of the offered 18 locations for the construction of SHPPs. The deadline to file bids is September 21. The largest number of locations, six in […]
Two more weeks left for comments on EU-backed principles, list of sustainable hydropower projects in Western Balkans
The extended deadline to provide comments on the draft Principles for Sustainable Hydropower in the Western Balkans and on the draft Indicative List of Projects associated with the Regional Strategy for Sustainable Hydropower in the Western Balkans, an EU-funded study, expires on August 31. The draft list contains the existing and potential greenfield hydropower projects that may receive financial […]
Albanian court upholds annulment of HPP projects
The first-instance Administrative Court in Tirana has upheld the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy’s decision to scrap HP Bigas dhe Veleshnje Energy’s projects to build two HPPs in Albania’s grand Osumi Canyon, a major tourist and rafting attraction. The Albanian investor had contested the ministry’s decision to partially annul a contract on the investment before […]