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US Embassy Seeks Partners for Serbia's Multi-Billion Euro Đerdap 3 Hydropower Project
🇷🇸 Serbia /Energy & Infrastructure

US Embassy Seeks Partners for Serbia's Multi-Billion Euro Đerdap 3 Hydropower Project

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The U.S. Embassy in Serbia has issued a public call for expressions of interest in the Đerdap 3 pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant project.
  • This initiative aims to select strategic partners for the design, financing, and construction of the multi-billion euro facility on the Danube River.
  • The project faces potential hurdles, including Romanian concerns over its impact on shared energy infrastructure and environmental risks within a national park.

Serbia has formally begun the process to secure partners for the ambitious Đerdap 3 pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant, a project valued at over 2.6 billion euros. The U.S. Embassy in Serbia announced a public call for companies to express interest in participating in the development of this significant energy infrastructure.

This move represents a formal step towards involving leading global engineering and financial companies in the realization of one of the largest energy projects in Southeast Europe.

— eKapijaReporting on the significance of the U.S. Embassy's public call for expressions of interest.

Interested firms have until June 25 to submit letters of intent to Serbia's Ministry of Mining and Energy. This initial phase aims to identify strategic partners for creating technical documentation, securing financing, and ultimately constructing the massive facility. The project, planned for the 1007th kilometer of the Danube near Golubac, is designed as a hybrid pumped-storage plant with a projected capacity of 2,400 MW, potentially integrating an additional 400 MW from renewable sources. The target completion date is 2038.

The U.S. involvement in Đerdap 3 has been developing since 2021, with the American company Bechtel expressing interest and later undertaking technical studies. A key milestone was the signing of an intergovernmental energy agreement in Washington in 2024, which came into effect in March 2025, establishing the legal basis for the current call for proposals.

The project is planned as a hybrid reversible pump-storage facility on the 1007th kilometer of the Danube, in the territory of the municipality of Golubac.

— Article textDescribing the planned location and type of the Đerdap 3 power plant.

However, the project is not without its challenges. Romania has previously voiced concerns that the construction of Đerdap 3 could jeopardize the stability and output of its existing joint hydropower plants, Đerdap 1 and Đerdap 2. Bilateral discussions are ongoing to assess the hydrological impact on the Danube. Additionally, environmental groups and experts warn of potential negative effects on biodiversity, as construction is slated to occur within the protected area of Đerdap National Park.

Bucharest will not allow the construction of Đerdap 3 to jeopardize the stability and production of the existing joint plants Đerdap 1 and Đerdap 2.

— Romanian Minister of Energy Sebastian BurdujaExpressing Romania's concerns about the project's potential impact on shared energy infrastructure.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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