Energy as foundation of partnership between Serbia and Russia - 40% of works on disassemling Hydroelectric Power Plant "Đerdap 1" done

Minister Škundrić and Ambassador Konuzin touring the hydroelectric power plant

The refurbishment of the first generator in "Đerdap I" near Kladovo goes as planned and in accordance with the contract between company "Đerdap" and Russian company "Silovye machini". Since September 1st, 2009, when the revitalization of the generator no. 6 commenced (which is total number of generators within Serbian part of this power plant), 40% of disassembling works have been carried out. It is expected that the works will be done prior to November 26th.

Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining, Petar Škundrić, and Russian Ambassador Aleksandar Konuzin, who visited Hydroelectric Power Plant "Đerdap I" yesterday (October 13, 2009), expressed their satisfaction with the share of works that had been done. They were accompanied by the Director General of EPS, Dragomir Marković, and the President of the Administrative Board of that company, Aca Marković. They were informed on the progress of revitalization by Dragan Stanković, the CEO of company "Đerdap", Ljubiša Jokić, the CEO of Hydroelectric Power Plant "Đerdap I", and Petar Manzalović, the Manager of the revitalization project.

That project, which will increase the power of "Đerdap I" by 162 MW (10%) and extend its life for another 40 years, will be the most significant project in EPS within the next five years, until the refurbishment is over.

Answering the questions of journalists, our and Russian experts confirmed that 97% of new equipment had already been transferred from Russia to Kladovo and that they would be installed in the generator no. 6. They also said that that machine would be put in operation prior to September 1st, 2010, at the latest. The emphasis was placed on the fact that the overhaul of each of the remaining five generators would last for 10 months.

Ambassador Konuzin and Minister Škundrić expressed satisfaction with the fact that that model confirmed that energy was the foundation of strategic partnership between Serbia and Russia, as well as because the preparations for construction of gas pipeline Južni Tok were going as planned, and they announced good cooperation in the energy sector within the next few years.

D-day on Đerdap

The workers declared October 13th as D-day because they planned to take the huge rotor of the generator no. 6 from its bearing in the afternoon hours on that day, during the visit of Minister Škundrić and Ambassador Konuzin. It is a very delicate operation since the rotor weighs 650 tons and its diameter is 14.5 meters.