Romania’s Hidroelectrica testing 200 MW hydropower plants on Olt River under pumped regime

Romanian hydropower group Hidroelectrica announced it has begun testing the pumped regime of its hydropower plants on Olt River, which have a total capacity of 200 MW. Using the hydropower plants under reversible regime was tested twelve years ago, when the company’s management concluded insufficient economic benefits.

The first of the five such units has been tested under the reversed regime on August 20, as the storage capacity becomes increasingly important as more intermittent renewable generation is added.

Hidroelectrica has in its portfolio, on the Olt, five hydropower plants that can operate in a reversible, pump-turbine system, with a total capacity of 200 MW.

Following the technological tests conducted on August 20, it was concluded that the operation of the hydropower units in pump mode can be achieved under normal operating conditions. The result represents an important element for the further evaluation of the potential of this solution and how it can be integrated into the operation of the existing hydropower infrastructure, the company concluded.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)