Serbia’s state power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) has signed the 10th addendum to an agreement on the revitalization of the Đerdap 1 hydropower plant (HPP) with Russia’s Siloviye Mashiny to complete the largest Serbian HPP’s overhaul, EPS said.

The revitalization of the A2 unit of the Đerdap 1 hydropower plant is planned to begin in September and last until mid-October 2019, while works on the A3 unit are to be completed in January 2021, EPS said.

The revitalization of the A1, A4, A5, and A6 units of Serbia’s largest hydropower plant, which has a total of six units, has been completed.

The overhaul of the Đerdap 1 hydropower plant was launched in 2009, Savo Bezmarević, executive director for energy production at EPS, recalled.

According to EPS acting General Manager Milorad Grčić, EPS “can” also cooperate with Silovye Mashiny on the overhaul of HPP Đerdap 2, which has 10 units.

The revitalization will boost the capacity of Đerdap 1’s units by about 10% and extend the HPP’s operating life by 40 years, EPS said, noting that the plant generates more than 5 billion kWh of electricity annually.

The USD 168 million investment is financed through the settlement of a USD 100.5 million clearing debt of the former USSR, while the rest is provided by EPS.

Đerdap 1 was put into operation 38 years ago and has produced 263 million MWh of electricity so far. Through to mid-May, Đerdap 1 generated 59% of electricity targeted for the entire 2018.