Hydropower is and will be in the foreseeable future a cornerstone of Romania’s renewable energy strategy. In 2022, nine major hydropower projects have been designated as nationally important, together contributing an increase of about 10% to Romania’s current installed hydropower capacity of 6,600 MW. Overseen by Hidroelectrica S.A., these initiatives aim to expand renewable energy infrastructure while aligning with environmental and climate resilience standards. Two notable projects within this transformation are the Răstolița and Cerna Belareca developments, both of which present strong economic viability, with projected returns supported by detailed cost-benefit analyses and favorable energy market conditions.
The Răstolița project First initiated in 1989 in the Mures region, the Răstolița dam aims to generate hydroelectric power and supply water. Although delayed due to Romania’s political and economic transition, the project has been restarted and is nearing completion – with the power plant at 99% and the dam’s main body at 92%. The project, originally conceived at a time when environmental concerns were less pronounced, required environmental improvements through adaptive modifications. These have focused on secondary inputs from adjacent watersheds and the conservation of critical habitats, particularly for species such as taimen. In addition, hidden hydropower schemes, including a 2 MW small hydropower plant, were integrated to compensate for energy losses associated with providing higher ecological flows. As a result, the originally planned annual production of 70.7 GWh was revised to 62 GWh. This reduction in power generation contributes significantly to mitigating the environmental impact of the whole scheme, contributing to a more sustainable and balanced outcome.
The Cerna Belareca Project Located in the Banat river basin and started in 1981, this two-tiered system includes the operational Herculane dam and hydropower plant and the partially completed Belareca section (Dam and Pipeline). The project, developed with more recent environmental awareness in mind, incorporates a number of advanced environmental measures. These include adaptations to the imposed ecological flow requirements, which have resulted in a reduction in power generation potential. To compensate for these losses, a small 1.5 MW hydropower plant has been integrated into the system, helping to recover some of the reduced generation while maintaining compliance with environmental regulations. A key innovation applied here as a concept is the incorporation of a reversible pumped storage system, which contributes an additional 17.5 GWh/year. The adjusted energy production is about 61 GWh/year in total, but with a differentially more important role as grid reserve with the added PSP capacity.
Adaptation and compliance with environmental regulations Both projects have undergone significant redesigns to align with EU environmental standards, including improved fish migration systems, restructured environmental flows and minimized environmental footprints. These adaptations balance operational objectives with conservation imperatives.
Involvement of the public and environmental stakeholders Although both projects enjoy broad government and local community support, some NGOs have raised environmental concerns. In response, Hidroelectrica implemented several eco-sensitive design modifications. This collaborative approach helps reconcile energy development with biodiversity conservation. Aquaproiect, in collaboration with Hidroelectrica as beneficiary, carried out a comprehensive analysis that serves as the basis for establishing the viability of both projects. This analysis is essential not only to obtain the necessary legal authorizations, but also to guide the technical modernization of old hydropower schemes. These historic projects, originally designed by previous generations under widely different regulatory frameworks and engineering approaches, have required substantial re-evaluation to align with current environmental standards, legislative requirements and technological expectations.
Original article written by Bogdan Badea and Cătălin V. Popescu in International Journal on Hydropower and Dams, 2025, Volume 32, Number 1, available at: https://www.hydropower-dams.com/