Hidroelectrica invests EUR 150 million in headrace gallery

Hidroelectrica inaugurated its latest headrace gallery, Surduc-Nehoiasu, part of the Surduc-Siriu hydropower planning, following a EUR 150 million investment, the company announces.

The headrace gallery is the longest to be implemented since 1984, leading water to from the Surduc accumulation to hydroelectric power plant Nehoiasu and has a length of approximately 16.6 kilometers, a flow of 40 sqm per second and an inner diameter of 4 meters.

Implementation was applied in eight points at the same time, at Basca Mare, Titilau, Pruncea, Trestia and Castel. Currently, the underground gallery’s last section (Trestia-Castel) is being dug, marking the completion of excavation works and ensuring coverage of the entire length of 16.6 km through the mountain range of Buzau.

The gallery, which is the longest one to be dug for energy purposes (2,540 meters) and will have the highest water fall level among Hidroelectrica’s investments (490 meters), will ensure Nehoiasu power plant the highest energy production capacity among the company’s plants.

The hydropower investment in Siriu-Surduc is part of the company’s investment plan for 2015-2020, Hidroelectrica having a budget of over EUR 1.3 billion allocated for refurbishment, maintenance and development works.

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The power producer recently announced it sold Calugarita micro-hydropower to Arges Archdiocese for RON 1.7 million and a second plant in Vladesti to Roski Air Service for RON 2.2 million.

The company, insolvent for the second time, will be auctioning this November another 40 micro-hydropower plants in Valcea, Suceava, Bacau, Neamt, Hunedoara, Maramures, Brasov, Arad, Sibiu, Arges, Buzau and Timis.

Hidroelectrica owns 128 small hydropower plants with an installed capacity of up to 4 MW each.

The state owned company recorded for the first half of this year a record profit of RON 725 million (EUR 163.78 million), 42 percent higher than the profit recorded during the same period last year (RON 510 million, or EUR 115.21 million).

Turnover for the first half of the year increased by almost RON 300 million compared to the first six months of 2014, reaching RON 1.851 billion from RON 1.554 billion.

Natalia Martian

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