Low Danube levels cause output of Serbia's largest hydropower plant to fall by a third

The CEO of the state-owned power utility EPS stated late Friday that Serbia's largest hydropower plant Djerdap 1 is only producing a third its normal?daily production because the Danube River is extremely low.

Dusan Zivkovic stated that EPS had recorded the lowest production in May and in June since the Djerdap 1 plant was?opened back in 1970. The plant is jointly operated by Serbian and Romanian operators, with a total installed active power of 1,140MW.

Zivkovic said that the current power plant produces 5,000 MWh a day. This is about one-third of the daily average production.

Dubravka Handanovic, Energy Minister of Serbia, said that on Wednesday, the country's fuel imports fell to 25% of its monthly target in July due to low water levels along the Danube in Hungary. Serbia and Romania. This forced barges and tanks to operate at 30-40% of their cargo capacity.

Zivkovic stated that the low levels of the Danube have impacted other Serbian power plants such as coal-fired Kostolac, where the lack of water has affected cooling systems and led to a lower output. Zivkovic warned of "more problems" ahead but promised a steady supply of electricity for the nation's 6.5 million residents.

He said: "Unfortunately, the forecasts are no better. Some suggest that we will (Danube Water) inflows at the beginning August, which is the biological minimum."

Serbia's hydrometeorological service forecast a small rise in the Danube due to rains upstream. (Reporting and editing by Susan Fenton; Aleksandar Vasovic)

(source: Reuters)