There are several types of hydro power plants – impoundment, diversion (run-of-river), pumped storage and other.
Serbia is proud of its hydroelectric power plants, but also of all the power plants in the world, knowing that this power generation technique would not be there without a great Serbian genius Nikоla Теsla. The hydropower facilities in Serbia generate ¼ of the total power consumption in the country. Hydropower plants are facilities constructed on rivers of great water power potential. Water drives the turbines, which use the power to drive an electric generator – a device that converts the water mechanical force into electricity.
GEOGRAPHY
The hydroelectric power facilities in Serbia today are on the Danube, the Drina, the Lim, the Zapadna Morava and the Vlasina rivers. The largest annual power generation comes from the impoundment plant Đеrdаp I, near Klаdоvo, at the Serbian-Romanian border. The Đеrdаp II was opened in 1988. Rеpublikа Srpskа shares with Serbia the hydroelectric facilities on the Drina – except for Višеgrаd, as the whole facility is in RS; Hеrzеgоvina has an important hydroelectric power system on the Тrеbišnjica river, and in Bоsаnska Krајina on the Vrbаs. The dam of the hydroelectric power facility Мrаtinjе on the Piva in Montenegro is even 220 m high.
HISTORY
The first hydroelectric power plant in Serbia was started as early as in 1900 in Užice on the Đеtinjа river, using a Tesla polyphase electric current system. After being out of operation for thirty years, today the facility is working well.
There are 16 hydroelectric power plants in Serbia today, generating a substantial portion of the power.