Romanian-Bulgarian Danube hydropower plant project could win European fundingUpdated: 26-02-2010 | Regional Europe

A new hydropower plant on the Danube to be constructed by Romania together with Bulgaria could be financed from European funds, Secretary of State with the Romanian Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business Environment Tudor Serban told an ISPE seminar on Tuesday.

'We intend to build the hydropower plant on the Danube by using European funds. The Bulgarian party voiced intention to build two hydropower plants, but we believe one to be sufficient,' said Serban.

Hidroelectrica has asked Serbia for its point of view regarding the construction of a new hydropower plant on the Danube, together with Bulgaria, Hidroelectrica General Manager Mihai David said recently. He said that Serbia's response to whether it would participate directly in the project or collect the fees for its share of the energy potential in another form, is due in May 2010.

Serbia's position regarding such project will be presented during a future session of the Joint Specialist Commission, which gathers twice a year. David explained that, before giving Bulgaria a response to the new Danube hydropower project, Romania had to ask Serbia for its standpoint.

'The distance between the Iron Gates II and the Serbia - Bulgaria border is fit for using the Danube's hydropower potential. Out of such energy potential, Serbia owns half. If we build a power plant downstream the Serbian-Bulgarian border, jointly with Bulgaria, it will also process the hydropower potential of Serbia,' said David.

According to Agerpres, the Danube hydropower potential between Bazias and Macin, if harnessed, would be of 22 TWh/year, and Romania's share thereof is 11.8 TWh/year, of which only 6.5-7 TWh/year are exploited. The unused potential of the 80 km-long segment between the Iron Gates and Serbia's border with Bulgaria is of 400 GW/year, and if Serbia decides not to participate in the project with Bulgaria, Romania will have to pay a share of about 122 GWh/year.