Svoghe
The Svoghe hydraulic project comprises five hydroelectric plants (Lakatnik + Opletnia + Prokopanik + Svrajen + Tserovo) located on a 33 km stretch of the Iskar River near Svoge.
They are run-of-river plants with a concrete overflow weir and a small lake upstream from the dam, a control station, a tailrace and a fish pass.
All five plants are equipped with horizontal Kaplan turbines. Most of the dams are 7 to 8 meters high, the largest measuring approximately 11 meters.
Water passes through the turbines to produce electricity that is then injected into the power grid.
These hydroelectric plants have a total installed capacity of 15.5 MW.
When it acquired the Svoghe project, Akuo invested not only in purchasing assets, but also in retaining local operators who previously worked at the plants.
A total of 13 people oversee the running and maintenance of the plants, as well as their administrative management. A third of our teams are women.
Their expertise and experience of this project have allowed Akuo to make it efficient.
Our CSR commitment
Akuo, as a producer of locally based renewable energy, makes a point of preserving the land on which it develops power plants.
That is why the Svoghe hydraulic plant includes a fish pass, enabling electricity to be produced while preserving local biodiversity.
In practical terms, metal grids have been installed on the electric plants to stop large fish from entering the turbines, while the fish passes are the very latest generation, built like mountain streams.
Every year, a team from Sofia University’s faculty of biology monitor fish populations in zones close to our hydroelectric plants. Their reports enable us to objectify and measure a continuous improvement in fish biodiversity.
