Djedovic Handanovic: Lifespan of Djerdap 1 HPP extended by 30-40 years

KLADOVO - Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Friday a generator of the Djerdap 1 hydroelectric power plant had been refurbished successfully to extend the plant's lifespan by 30-40 years.

"Djerdap 1 is a significant part of our country's history and, with the conclusion of the refurbishment, it has become a part of the Serbian energy system's future as we have gained an additional 114 green megawatts that will come from the clean, renewable energy of the Danube," the minister said during a tour of the plant, on which she was accompanied by Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko and EPS Acting Director Dusan Zivkovic.

She said the plant contributed 20 to 25 pct of Serbia's total power generation every year.

Records in power generation have already been broken, she said, adding that a record-high 27,640 MWh had been generated on Thursday.

"That proves the refurbishment was successful, since we are getting the highest-ever quantities of power generated at this plant since its launch," she said.

She especially thanked Russian partners who had worked on the refurbishment alongside Serbian experts.

The ambassador said the works had been completed successfully through reliance on the partnership and the friendship between the two peoples.