Romania will choose the location for the second Danube hydro power plant by the end of the year
The Economy Ministry will pick the location of the second Danube hydro power plant by the end of the year, as Romania now uses about 48 percent of its hydroelectric potential and the plants that do put the power of water to good use were built decades ago, declared the minister Adriean Videanu.
The most efficient location, according to Videanu, is Macin, as it solves the navigability problem. He added that the construction of the new third generation nuclear power plant could start this autumn.
“We are looking for strategical investors in the hydro sector, all over Russia and Europe. Our country can be a stable energy supplier in Europe,” declared Videanu at the Private Government, organized by Business Standard. He added that other segments insufficiently developed are agriculture and the syderurgy and chemical industry.
Tudor Serban, government secretary with the Economy Ministry declared on May 7 that 37 percent of the shares of this second nuclear power plant will be held by an important foreign company. It will be completed by 2017 the earliest and it requires investments of 7-8 billion euros, through a public-private partnership. The exact location of the plant will be picked in September, the minister said, adding there are two options to consider, one of them being the central county of Sibiu.
The minister added that Romania now uses about 48 percent of its hydroelectric potential.
Videanu mentioned that Romania invited Russia to join in the development of the country's power facilities, stressing that the Russians should not be looked upon solely as energy suppliers.
Hidroelectrica, the biggest electricity producer, is a majority state-owned company which has a headcount of 5,000. The company accounts for 25 to 30 percent of the country's electricity output and its 326 units have a total installed power of 6,335 MW.