On Wednesday, the Government held an away-from-home session at the Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros dam to mark the 25th anniversary of its operation. Summarising the years of its operation, the Government is highlighting its contributions, such as better anti-flood protection for Bratislava and the surrounding areas, the creation of an at least 3.5 metres-deep waterway and the possibility to generate ecologically clean energy. The Gabčíkovo hydropower station has been providing 10 percent of the total volume of electric energy generated in Slovakia. However, according to the Environment Minister László Sólymos, the power plant needs some repairs that will cost more than €140 million.
"After 25 years in operation, of course, the Gabčíkovo plant is set to undergo major modernisation processes, namely general repairs and the reconstruction of the hydroelectric power plant, including the repair of the turbines, which will take some ten years, as well as the innovation and modernisation of the lock chambers at the Gabčíkovo plant," said Sólymos. The environment minister went on to say that 85 percent of the repairs will be co-financed by EU funds, as the project is currently one the largest transport projects of its kind within the EU.
The Gabčíkovo-Nagymaros dam was originally designed as a Slovak-Hungarian project aimed at preventing catastrophic floods, improving river navigability and producing clean electricity. While the Hungarian side halted works on Nagymaros in 1989 due to environmental and economic concerns, Slovakia has finished its part of the project.
