Race for Danube energy megaproject starts: US Embassy in Serbia issues public call for Djerdap 3

The US Embassy in Serbia has issued a public call for expressions of interest to participate in the project to build the Djerdap 3 Reversible Hydropower Plant (RHPP).

This move represents a formal step towards involving the world’s leading engineering and financial companies in the implementation of one of the largest energy projects in Southeast Europe.

According to the text of the call, interested companies have until June 25 to submit their letters of intent to the Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia. The aim of this procedure is to select strategic partners for the development of technical documentation, financing and the actual construction of this massive power plant.

The call for expressions of interest for the strategic partnership represents the first phase of the selection.

The process is led by a special Working Group of the Government of Serbia, and the selection is carried out in accordance with the Law on Public Procurement based on an intergovernmental agreement.

Energy giant on the Danube worth billions of euros

The RHPP Djerdap 3 project is planned as a hybrid reversible pumped-storage plant on the 1007th kilometer of the Danube, in the municipality of Golubac. The project concept envisages the abstraction of water from Lake Djerdap during periods of low load when there is a surplus of electricity in the system, pumping water into the upper reservoirs “Pesaca” and “Brodica” and generating electricity during peak demand by releasing water back into the Danube.

The designed capacity of the power plant is an impressive 2,400 MW, with the possibility of integrating an additional 400 MW from renewable sources (wind and solar). The estimated value of the investment is currently around 2.63 billion euros, and the planned completion date is 2038.

American interest

The participation of the United States in the Djerdap 3 project has been prepared since 2021, when the American giant Bechtel first expressed interest in the construction. Key steps were taken in 2022 when Bechtel, the largest American construction and engineering company, took over the preparation of technical studies, which was crowned by the signing of the Intergovernmental Energy Agreement in Washington in 2024. This agreement entered into force in March 2025, which created the legal basis for Serbia, through the US Embassy, to officially invite American companies to submit their bids.

Open issues: Romanian disapproval and environmental risks

Despite Belgrade’s great ambitions, the project faces serious obstacles on the international and domestic fronts. Two years ago, the media reported that Romanian Energy Minister Sebastia Burduja said that Bucharest would not allow the construction of Djerdap 3 to jeopardize the stability and production at the existing joint power plants Djerdap 1 and Djerdap 2.

Bilateral talks between the ministries of the two countries and mixed commissions are underway to assess the hydrological impact on the Danube.

In addition, experts and environmental associations warn of the potential negative impact on biodiversity, given that the works would be carried out within the protected area of the Djerdap National Park.

Due to the complexity of negotiations with Romania and the high cost, the Serbian Government has simultaneously set the construction of the RHPP Bistrica (680 MW) as an absolute short-term priority, for which the preparation of documentation is in the final stage.

However, the opening of a public call through the US Embassy confirms that the state is not giving up on the megaproject on the Danube.

B. P.

Ambasada SAD Beograd

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

Vlada Republike Srbije

BECHTEL LIMITED OGRANAK BEOGRAD

US Embassy in Serbia

Bechtel

Ministry of Energy

Government of Serbia

RHPP Đerdap 3

jpublic call for expressions of interest

construction of RHPP Đerdap 3

reversible hydropower plants