David, Hidroelectrica: It is now time for small hydropower stations

Mihai David, general manager of Hidroelectrica, says in the future opportunities to develop Romania’s hydropower potential come mainly from small facilities, considering that the big rivers, such as Danube, have already been set up.

“The best is long over. It would have been perfect if we had had two or three Danubes, but now micro-hydropower stations are where the growth potential lies,” David said.
His term as general manager of the company will end at the beginning of next year, when he will be replaced by Constantin Trihenea, former Sibiu prefect, currently advisor to Economy Minister Ion Ariton.
The biggest hydropower plant in Romania is Porțile de Fier 1, with an installed capacity of over 1,000 MW, higher than that of a nuclear reactor of the Cernavodă power station.
David also explained one of the factors behind the company’s average production costs is the fact that in Romania there are only a few big hydropower stations, while the rest are small and medium-sized. The explanations come in the wake of recent statements from representatives of Fondul Proprietatea, which controls 20% of Hidroelectrica, who say they do not understand why production costs of local companies are higher than those of similar companies in Russia and Brazil.