Hidroelectrica awarded the contract for the refurbishment of the Vidraru Hydropower Plant, one of the most important and strategic investments in the energy infrastructure in Romania. The contract, initially estimated at 188,716,632 euros without VAT, was awarded by the Association formed by Electromontaj (association leader), Koncar – Engineering Co. Ltd. for Production and Services and Butan Grup (subcontractor) with a value of around 188 million euros without VAT.
AHE Vidraru is one of the most emblematic hydropower objectives in Romania, and the plant, with an installed power of 220 MW, plays a particularly important role for the national energy system (SEN), because it also participates in power-frequency regulation, while also providing services of system. The Vidraru hydroelectric plant, put into operation on December 9, 1966, uses the hydropower potential of Argeș on a sector 28 km long, between Cumpăna and Oiesti, making use of a total water fall of 324 meters. The reservoir has a total volume of 465 million cubic meters, of which 320 million cubic meters represents the useful volume.
The Vidraru Dam was, at the time of its inauguration, the fifth in Europe and the ninth in the world among similar constructions. The arrangement ensures an annual electricity production of around 400 GWh.
“The award of this contract represents an important step for the modernization and efficiency of the company’s hydropower infrastructure. The upgrading of Vidraru will ensure not only an increased production capacity of renewable energy, but also a positive impact on the stability of the national energy network. We are confident that the partnership with Electromontaj and its associates will bring remarkable results. This major investment underlines Hidroelectrica’s commitment to modernize and optimize its production capabilities, thus ensuring a significant contribution to national and European renewable energy and sustainability goals,” said Károly Borbély, Hidroelectrica’s CEO.
“The success we are marking comes as a result of an in-depth analysis of the market that allowed us to understand the causes that previously blocked major investments at Vidrau. We updated the indicators to the correct values, listened and understood the challenges raised by the possible contractors of a project of such scope and made certain parameters flexible so that the approach became feasible.
Vidraru’s renovation project is a complex and ambitious one, involving state-of-the-art technologies and innovative solutions. We look forward to starting work and seeing the long-term positive impact on energy production and the environment. We thank our team and partners for the efforts made so far and we are ready to bring this project to completion,” added Bogdan Badea, Investment Director of Hidroelectrica.
Hidroelectrica has carried out – starting in 2016 – five other procurement processes for the refurbishment of the Vidraru hydroelectric plant, the main reason for their non-award being constituted by the non-compliance of the bids received with the requirements of the specifications.