Feasibility study under way into project to enable country to hit EU renewables target of 24%

The Romanian government is considering the construction of a giant hydro power station on the Bulgarian border.

Romanian officials are investigating the feasibility of the station, although the project remains at an early stage. The scheme, which would be sited on the Danube river near Turnu Magurele, Teleorman county, would help boost Romania's percentage of green energy from its present 17.8% to the EU target of 24% by 2020.

Prime minister Calin-Popescu Tariceanu has told the Romanian media that he has already secured agreement for the project from his Bulgarian counterpart.

Hydro power at present provides about one-sixth of Romania's energy, the largest source of which is the joint Serbian-Romanian project Portiile de Fier (Iron Gate) on the Danube at Turnu-Magurele.

The Romanian government is also interested in a possible scheme to build a hydro power plant at Tarnita-Lapustesti, Cluj county.

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