The "Iron Gates" Hydroelectric Dam
The Iron Gates (Romanian: Portile de Fier) is a gorge on the Danube river, between Orsova and Drobeta Turnu Severin that includes two hydro-electric power stations: The Iron Gates I Hydropower Plant and The Iron Gates II Hydropower Plant.
The Iron Gates I is one of the largest hydropower plants in Europe and the dam, the largest on the Danube.
The inauguration for starting the execution of the Iron Gates I Hydropower Plant and Navigation System
took place on September 7, 1964. The work was completed in 1971.
The system was built in cooperation with the former Republic of Yugoslavia.
Before the construction of the dam, rocks and whirlpools were serious obstacles to navigation on the Danube.
The crossing of this gorge took 120 hours and it used to be done only during the day.
Following the dam and the reservoir lake building (150 km long, 700 sq km surface area), now, the ships cross the Danube gorge in only 30 hours and also during the night.
When the dam and the reservoir were created, many small villages that were on the Danube bank, the old Orsova and Ada-Kaleh, an island which was about 3 km
downstream from Orsova, had to make way. People were relocated, but the settlements have been lost forever to the Danube.
The Mosque and the bazaars from Ada-Kaleh, a Turkish enclave, were moved to Simian island,
close to Drobeta Turnu Severin. When the level of the Danube river is lower than usual, one can still see the ruins of the island.
At completion in 1971, the Iron Gates I hydropower plant had 12 units with a total generating power of 2052 MW divided equally between the two countries:
1026 MW for the Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia) and 1026 MW for Romania . Today, the 6 units of Romania generate a total of 1166 MW of power.
The Iron Gates II Hydropower Plant on the Danube
The inauguration for starting the execution of the Iron Gates II Hydropower Plant and Navigation System
took place on December 3, 1977. The work was completed in 1986.
The project was also a joint-venture of the Romanian/Yugoslavian governments.
At completion in 1986, the Iron Gates II hydropower plant had 16 units with a total generating power of 432 MW divided equally between the two countries:
216 MW for the Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia) and 216 MW for Romania .
For more information, visit Hidroelectrica website.