Sebastian Burduja, Minister of Energy, has announced the launch in SICAP and the start of the procurement procedure for the works (design and turnkey execution) related to the investment objective Tarnița – Lapusesti pumped storage hydroelectric power plant (CHEAP).
“Romania had a duty to do this project for at least 40 years. I would like to announce that the Tarnița-Lăpuștești hydropower plant project is now available in SICAP, thus being officially launched the procurement process of the designer who will prepare the feasibility study. It is a promise of my mandate that I have kept. We are talking about pumped storage generation capacity with an installed capacity of up to 1,000 MWh.
This pumped storage hydropower plant solves several problems, mainly the need to balance the power system. We have two lakes, at Lăpuștești and Tarnița, one higher than the other. When we need generation in the system, water from the upper lake runs through turbines and produces electricity. When we have surplus production, we turn on the pumps in the lower lake and basically bring the water back up to the upper lake. It’s like a big green battery.”
The cost of the feasibility study is estimated at €3.5 million and the study will take a maximum of 12 months.
“I want to have the feasibility study ready by next fall. I am relying on the involvement of serious, experienced bidders, who will also capitalize on all the other studies carried out so far, to the extent that they are still valid.
Based on the feasibility study, SAPE will competitively and transparently identify private partners for a project company. My vision is for the state to remain a minority shareholder in this project, and for the private sector to guarantee both the necessary capital and the continuity of this strategic and complex project, which could be completed in 8-10 years, based on expert estimates. We will have all the data through the feasibility study. The time has come for this project – better late than never.”
Timeliness and necessity of realization of the Tarnița – Lăpuștești hydroelectric power plant with accumulation and pumped storage (CHEAP) project
The opportunity and necessity of realizing the Tarnița – Lapuștești hydroelectric power plant with storage and pumped storage (CHEAP) project is based on the following advantages and functions provided for the national energy system by a pumped storage power plant: increasing the degree of safety of the SEN; transfer of electricity from the no-load to the peak; arbitrage of the electricity market; short-duration contingency reserve; frequency-power regulation and spinning reserve; provision of reactive reserve and voltage regulation in the SEN; exchange through interconnection within the UCTE; SEN black start capability, the ability to re-establish grid interconnections in the event of a blackout; implementation and management of SEN of intermittent renewable sources of electricity ensuring optimal conditions for the installation of more than 4000 MW of wind power plants.
The Tarnița – Lăpuștești hydropower plant will be a regional provider of balancing and storage services, being the best location in Romania for the development of a pumped storage hydropower project. It will help ensure the energy security of Romania and part of Central and Eastern Europe, in the context of the war in Ukraine, the threat of the European energy crisis and uncontrolled energy price fluctuations.
The Ministry of Energy, through SAPE S.A., has initiated one of the most transparent and competitive selection processes for the feasibility study of the Tarnița – Lăpuștești Hydropower Plant, encouraging the private sector to participate with ingenious and beneficial solutions for Romania.
Bids can be submitted until December 4, 2023.