Romanian electricity producer Hidroelectrica has successfully completed the refurbishment of Unit 5 at the Stejaru hydropower plant, increasing its capacity from 50 MW to 54.126 MW. This upgrade represents a 12.3 million euros investment, with 10.3 million euros allocated to re-engineering the unit. The modernization was carried out by Hidroserv, Hidroelectrica’s subsidiary with over 50 years of expertise in the hydropower sector.
This refurbishment follows the 2020 modernization of Unit 6, which also saw its capacity rise to 54.126 MW. These upgrades are part of a broader modernization initiative at Stejaru, one of Romania’s largest hydropower plants, aimed at replacing outdated equipment with advanced technologies. Following the completion of Units 5 and 6, the plant’s total capacity has increased from 210 MW to 218.25 MW.
Plans are underway to upgrade the remaining four turbines, each currently generating 27.5 MW, further boosting the plant’s output. HPP Stejaru, built in the 1950s, is located near the Izvoru Muntelui Dam on the Bistrita River. The dam, standing 127 meters tall and 435 meters long, creates Lake Bicaz, Romania’s largest artificial reservoir with a storage capacity of 1.23 billion cubic meters.
