After signing a memorandum of understating on a gas interconnector project between Romania and Serbia at Iron Gates I on Monday, Romania’s Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja said that during the discussions with his counterpart from Serbia the issue of the Serbian Iron Gates III project was also addressed, but the Romanian side will not make any compromise regarding the production of electricity from the Iron Gates I and Iron Gates hydropower plants.

„Last but not least, today the subject of Djerdap III [a hydroelectric power plant under pre-construction on the border between Serbia and Romania] was addressed, a pumped storage plant on Serbia, being at a preliminary level of pre-feasibility study. The Serbian side worked with the American company Bechtel that made this pre-feasibility study and a week ago they presented preliminary data regarding this investment and a possible impact on the infrastructure of the Iron Gates I and the Iron Gates II,” Minister Burduja said at a press conference at Iron Gates I.

He also said that both the management of Hidroelectrica and the ministry are paying full attention to these investment plans.

„Under no circumstances do we want the electricity production at Iron Gates I and Iron Gates II to suffer. Being a pumped storage hydropower plant, we understand its importance, its role in providing balancing system services, but we will not make any compromise on energy generation at Iron Gates I and Iron Gates II.”

Burduja and his Serbian counterpart Dubravka Dedovic Handanovic on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding on a gas interconnector construction project between Romania and Serbia.

In Romania, the natural gas transmission pipeline will be coupled to the Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-Austria (BRUA) pipeline (Petrovaselo, Timis County) about 86 km long (the border between Romania and Serbia – Comlosu Mare, Timis County).

Accompanying Burduja at Iron Gates I was General Manager of Transgaz Ion Sterian and Chairman of the Directorate of Hidroelectrica Karoly Borbely, who held technical discussions with their counterparts from Serbia. A technical team from Transelectrica was also present.

The construction of a pumped storage hydropower plant at Iron Gates III could have a significant impact on the environment and navigability, including on the Romanian side, which is why such a project should be widely debated by the joint working groups, the Ministry of Energy said in a press statement on May 23.

„Co-operation with our Serbian friends and neighbours is very important on all levels, especially in the field of energy. For over 50 years, we have been successfully operating highly complex hydropower and navigation facilities, in this case the Iron Gates I and II. We are also working on an accelerated basis to improve the electricity and natural gas interconnections,” Burduja is quoted as saying in that statement.

Since the beginning of 2024, a bilateral meeting was held in Athens between the Romanian Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, and the Serbian Minister of Mines and Energy, Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, as well as an exchange of letters.

The discussion in Athens and the exchange of official letters also addressed issues related to a good joint exploitation of the Danube’s hydropower potential through the Iron Gates I and Iron Gates II systems.

AGERPRES