Interconnection of Renewable Resources, New Opportunity in the Rehabilitation of Old Small Hydropower Plant

In Romania, before 1990, numerous small hydroelectric power plants - SHP were realized for the electrification of isolated areas or small communities. Since 2007, a new concept concerning the operational parameters and yields has been implemented, and the functional SHPs have been re-evaluated. A massive environmental data monitoring campaign has started, creating an economically appropriate SHP database that can be associated with another renewable resource. This paper presents such a pilot station, the first realized in Romania near the Arges River, SHP Budeasa, interconnected with a wind power plant. Some local conditions and part of the realized database are briefly presented. Due to the increase in local demand for electricity, it was necessary to rehabilitate this SHP by associating it with 2 other power plants based on renewable sources. Each component of the pilot station is analyzed separately. After the commissioning of the wind farm an additional production of electricity was obtained, and the pilot station became profitable. From these benefits, the rehabilitation of SHP Budeasa started. The theoretical model, the essential steps in the physical realization and necessary conditions for interconnection are mentioned. The results obtained after seven months of operation and some economic aspects are finally mentioned.