Iron Gate III or Đerdap III ( Serbian: Ђердап III) is a planned reversible power plant on the Danube in Serbia, near the village of Dobra in the Golubac municipality. It would be the third Iron Gate hydroelectric power plants, after Iron Gate I in 1972 and Iron Gate II in 1985. Unlike the first two, which were joint projects of Yugoslavia and Romania, this one will be located only on Serbian territory.
Original project
Plans for the third dam were drafted in 1973 by the Energoprojekt holding and Jaroslav Černi Institute. Selected location was the village of Dobra, in the Golubac municipality, at the Danube's 1,007 kilometres (626 mi). Iron Gate III was planned as the reversible power plant, which would pump water into the uphill reservoirs on the Brodica, Pesača and Železnički Potok localities. The tunnels were to lift water from the altitude of 68 metres (223 ft) (Danube level), to 407 metres (1,335 ft) (uphill reservoirs). The reservoirs would also accept water from the neighboring streams and collect a total of 587,000,000 cubic metres (2.07×1010 cu ft) of water. All reservoirs would be connected with tunnels, from 1.95 kilometres (1.21 mi) (Pesača-Vodostan) to 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi) long (Brodica-Pesača). In total, after three phases of construction, the power plant would have a total installed capacity of 2,400 MW. [1]
The studies were conducted into the 1980s, and the terrain was surveyed and measured, as it is made of karst. Apart from Yugoslavia and Romania, representatives of the electric companies from USSR and West Germany also participated in the surveys. Romania was to build a similar facility on its side of the river. Both states also planned additional power plants of 120 MW adjoining the third dams, which were to function only during the high-water levels, accepting the water surplus. Besides the Iron Gate III dam, Yugoslavia also planned additional reversible power plant "Bistrica" (680 MW), built in the hills above the existing Bistrica power station on the Lim river. If built at the time, the Iron Gate III and Bistrica plants would make 37% of Serbian electricity production capacity in 2021. [1]
Revival
In August 2021, the construction was tentatively announced for 2022, having a major role in Serbian transition to renewable energy sources, though the price was set to "several billion euros". Other projects were also announced, which experts consider more feasible due to the Iron Gate 3's high price and complex system. Also, with other projects being finished first, the Iron Gate 3 would exceed Serbian needs in electricity, so they proposed that project should be a regional and interstate one. The complex will be completed in three phases, and when finished, it will produce 484 GWh of electricity per year. [2] In September 2021, U.S. company Bechtel expressed interest in building the dam, [3] and the meeting between Bechtel's president Stu Jones, Serbian energy minister Zorana Mihajlović, and US ambassador to Serbia Christopher R. Hill was held on 1 August 2022. [4] [5]
By the end of the year, Serbian government allocated €1.5 billion in the 2022 budget for the construction of Iron Gate 3, or half of the total projected costs. The government also stated that a foreign, strategic partner will be needed. It is expected to be either some Chinese company (as they built numerous large infrastructure objects already), or the Russian one, as the Russians are already revitalizing the Iron Gate I dam. The construction is estimated to last for three to five years, in, now expanded four phases (I - 600 MW/2 billion KWh; II - 1.200 MW/3.1 billion MWh; III - 1.800 MW/5.2 billion KWh). After the final, phase IV, total capacity will reach 2.400 MW and annual production is estimated to 7.6 billion KWh. The power plant would be operational only at night. [6]
See also
- Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Power Station
- Iron Gate II Hydroelectric Power Station
- List of power stations in Serbia
External links
References
- ^ a b Slobodan T. Petrović (30 September 2021). "Budućnost EPS-a je u "Đerdapu 3"" [Future of EPS is in "Đerdap 3"]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 14.
- ^ Vladimir Spasić (23 August 2021). "Serbia to construct pumped storage hydropower plants Đerdap 3 and Bistrica". Balkan Green Energy News.
- ^ eKapija (30 September 2021). "Bechtel Interested in Investing Billions in Green Energy – Djerdap 3 and Large Wind Farm Projects Worth EUR 2 Billion". eKapija.
- ^ Михајловићева, Хил и "Бехтел" о "Ђердапу три" [Mihajlović, Hill and "Bechtel" talked "Đerdap III"]. Politika (in Serbian). 2 August 2022. p. 10.
- ^ "Mihajlović, Hil i "Behtel" o energetici i Đerdapu 3" [Mihajlović, Hill and "Bechtel" talked energy and Đerdap 3]. Radio Television Vojvodina (in Serbian). 1 August 2022.
- ^ Danas (7 December 2021). "Za izgradnju RHE Đerdap 3 potrebno još novca i strateški partner" [For the construction of pumped hydro power plant Iron Gate 3 more money and strategic partner needed]. eKapija (in Serbian).
Iron Gate III or Đerdap III ( Serbian: Ђердап III) is a planned reversible power plant on the Danube in Serbia, near the village of Dobra in the Golubac municipality. It would be the third Iron Gate hydroelectric power plants, after Iron Gate I in 1972 and Iron Gate II in 1985. Unlike the first two, which were joint projects of Yugoslavia and Romania, this one will be located only on Serbian territory.
Original project
Plans for the third dam were drafted in 1973 by the Energoprojekt holding and Jaroslav Černi Institute. Selected location was the village of Dobra, in the Golubac municipality, at the Danube's 1,007 kilometres (626 mi). Iron Gate III was planned as the reversible power plant, which would pump water into the uphill reservoirs on the Brodica, Pesača and Železnički Potok localities. The tunnels were to lift water from the altitude of 68 metres (223 ft) (Danube level), to 407 metres (1,335 ft) (uphill reservoirs). The reservoirs would also accept water from the neighboring streams and collect a total of 587,000,000 cubic metres (2.07×1010 cu ft) of water. All reservoirs would be connected with tunnels, from 1.95 kilometres (1.21 mi) (Pesača-Vodostan) to 8.1 kilometres (5.0 mi) long (Brodica-Pesača). In total, after three phases of construction, the power plant would have a total installed capacity of 2,400 MW. [1]
The studies were conducted into the 1980s, and the terrain was surveyed and measured, as it is made of karst. Apart from Yugoslavia and Romania, representatives of the electric companies from USSR and West Germany also participated in the surveys. Romania was to build a similar facility on its side of the river. Both states also planned additional power plants of 120 MW adjoining the third dams, which were to function only during the high-water levels, accepting the water surplus. Besides the Iron Gate III dam, Yugoslavia also planned additional reversible power plant "Bistrica" (680 MW), built in the hills above the existing Bistrica power station on the Lim river. If built at the time, the Iron Gate III and Bistrica plants would make 37% of Serbian electricity production capacity in 2021. [1]
Revival
In August 2021, the construction was tentatively announced for 2022, having a major role in Serbian transition to renewable energy sources, though the price was set to "several billion euros". Other projects were also announced, which experts consider more feasible due to the Iron Gate 3's high price and complex system. Also, with other projects being finished first, the Iron Gate 3 would exceed Serbian needs in electricity, so they proposed that project should be a regional and interstate one. The complex will be completed in three phases, and when finished, it will produce 484 GWh of electricity per year. [2] In September 2021, U.S. company Bechtel expressed interest in building the dam, [3] and the meeting between Bechtel's president Stu Jones, Serbian energy minister Zorana Mihajlović, and US ambassador to Serbia Christopher R. Hill was held on 1 August 2022. [4] [5]
By the end of the year, Serbian government allocated €1.5 billion in the 2022 budget for the construction of Iron Gate 3, or half of the total projected costs. The government also stated that a foreign, strategic partner will be needed. It is expected to be either some Chinese company (as they built numerous large infrastructure objects already), or the Russian one, as the Russians are already revitalizing the Iron Gate I dam. The construction is estimated to last for three to five years, in, now expanded four phases (I - 600 MW/2 billion KWh; II - 1.200 MW/3.1 billion MWh; III - 1.800 MW/5.2 billion KWh). After the final, phase IV, total capacity will reach 2.400 MW and annual production is estimated to 7.6 billion KWh. The power plant would be operational only at night. [6]
See also
- Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Power Station
- Iron Gate II Hydroelectric Power Station
- List of power stations in Serbia
External links
References
- ^ a b Slobodan T. Petrović (30 September 2021). "Budućnost EPS-a je u "Đerdapu 3"" [Future of EPS is in "Đerdap 3"]. Politika (in Serbian). p. 14.
- ^ Vladimir Spasić (23 August 2021). "Serbia to construct pumped storage hydropower plants Đerdap 3 and Bistrica". Balkan Green Energy News.
- ^ eKapija (30 September 2021). "Bechtel Interested in Investing Billions in Green Energy – Djerdap 3 and Large Wind Farm Projects Worth EUR 2 Billion". eKapija.
- ^ Михајловићева, Хил и "Бехтел" о "Ђердапу три" [Mihajlović, Hill and "Bechtel" talked "Đerdap III"]. Politika (in Serbian). 2 August 2022. p. 10.
- ^ "Mihajlović, Hil i "Behtel" o energetici i Đerdapu 3" [Mihajlović, Hill and "Bechtel" talked energy and Đerdap 3]. Radio Television Vojvodina (in Serbian). 1 August 2022.
- ^ Danas (7 December 2021). "Za izgradnju RHE Đerdap 3 potrebno još novca i strateški partner" [For the construction of pumped hydro power plant Iron Gate 3 more money and strategic partner needed]. eKapija (in Serbian).