Romania's Mihăileni Dam: A Communist-Era Project Unfinished After Four Decades

Construction on the Mihăileni dam, located on the Crișul Alb river in Romania's Hunedoara county, began in the 1980s with ambitious goals for the region's industrial and mining hub. Authorized in 1987, the project aimed to supply water and protect against floods for the Brad area, once a significant center with thousands of jobs in gold, silver, copper, and other non-ferrous metal mines. The area's mining tradition spans over two millennia, with estimates suggesting nearly 2,000 tons of precious metal extracted historically.

In the 1980s, the mining center of Barza, famous for its native gold, employed over 6,000 people. The Mihăileni dam was envisioned not only for water supply and flood defense but also to house a micro-hydroelectric power plant. By 1989, initial construction phases were underway, including diverting the Crișul Alb river, excavating the foundation, and pouring concrete for the diaphragm wall's base. Road construction for a new route of the DN 74 Brad–Abrud highway, along with bridges, viaducts, and utility relocations, was also in progress.

Despite initial optimism, the project faced delays and supply issues even in its early stages. An engineer from the Water Management Research Institute noted in 1989 the need for meticulous execution of the dam's unique curved reinforced concrete diaphragm wall, calling it a potential first in Romania. However, contemporary press reports already indicated problems with cement and material supplies. Following the 1990s, work on the dam was interrupted and has since resumed only in stages, leaving the "colossus" largely unfinished and surrounded by controversy, its original purpose largely obsolete as the mining industry declined.

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It will be a medium-sized dam. The construction technology involves sealing with a curved diaphragm of reinforced concrete. As far as I know, it will be a first in our country. As such, a lot of attention is needed for impeccable execution. We are not allowed to make mistakes.