Serbian Minister of Transport, Construction and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic signed an agreement on the reconstruction of the navigation lock at the Hydro Power Plant Djerdap 1, worth EUR 28.5 million, with Manfred Singer, the managing director at the German company DSD Noell.

The European Union will provide a grant of EUR 11.4 million, around 40% of the funds needed, for the reconstruction of this navigation lock on an important European corridor.

After the signing of the agreement at the Government of Serbia, Singer said that the company had recently completed the reconstruction of the navigation lock on the Romanian side.

– We will give it our best for the reconstruction of the navigation lock on HPP Djerdap 1 to be completed withing the agreed deadline – Singer said on behalf of the consortium of DSD Noell and two Serbian companies, Feromont and Elektromontaza, which will reconstruct the navigation lock.

Mihajlovic said that the Government of Serbia would invest EUR 200 million in water transport, which will secure the safety of navigation under the highest standards.

The acting director of EPS, Milorad Grcic, said that the navigation lock had been built in 1970 and that it had never been reconstructed as thoroughly as it would be now.

– A total of 400,000 vessels have passed through the lock so far, 6,300 a year. The reconstruction will allow this number to grow to 10,000, which is very important for the tourism and the economy of Serbia – Grcic said.

He added that the overhaul of the final generator at Djerdap 1 was being completed, which should extend the HPP’s life cycle by at least 30 years, which would be followed by the overhaul of HPP Djerdap 2.

Source: ekapija