Around 100 experts and representatives of authorities from Romania, Serbia and other European countries gathered in Bucharest to discuss the safety, modernisation and sustainable operation of the Iron Gates I and II hydropower systems.
Hidroelectrica, in partnership with Serbia’s Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) and the Romanian National Committee on Large Dams (CROMB/ROCOLD), organised the international conference IRON GATES 2026 – A Modern Approach to Safety and Operational Resilience on November 3, 2026, at the Romanian Academy Library in Bucharest.
The event brought together approximately 100 participants, including representatives of Romanian and Serbian authorities, energy operators, specialised institutions, academia and the international community of dam safety experts. The conference was held under the coordination of the Commission for Monitoring the Behaviour of Structures, within the Romanian-Serbian Joint Commission for the Iron Gates system.
Opening remarks were delivered by Sorin Elisei, Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy, Iulius Dan Plaveti, CEO of Hidroelectrica, Professor Dejan Divac, Director General of the Jaroslav Černi Institute for Water Management in Belgrade, and Cătălin Popescu, President of CROMB.
The international community was also represented by Devendra Kumar Sharma, President of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), who sent a message to participants, and Arjan Jovani, President of the European Club of ICOLD (EURCOLD), who attended the conference.
In his address, Hidroelectrica CEO Iulius Dan Plaveti highlighted the strategic importance of the Iron Gates hydropower systems for both Romania and Serbia, as well as the shared responsibility of the two countries for their safe operation, maintenance and modernisation.
“The Iron Gates demonstrates that we can build together. Today, our responsibility is to continue operating, maintaining and modernising these facilities together,” said Plaveti.
He also stressed that the Romanian-Serbian partnership is built both on the institutional framework of the Joint Commission for the Iron Gates and on the ongoing cooperation between Hidroelectrica and EPS. Information sharing, technical dialogue and the coordination of operational and monitoring practices are essential to ensuring the safety and reliability of both hydropower facilities.
Cătălin Popescu, President of CROMB, highlighted the role of hydropower in providing flexibility and stability to the energy system, as well as the need to adapt existing infrastructure to new technological and operational requirements.
The conference programme included three technical sessions focusing on regulatory frameworks and risk management, the use of digital tools for infrastructure monitoring and structural performance assessment, and equipment reliability, maintenance prioritisation and rehabilitation works.
Key topics included the digital twin of the Iron Gates system, integrated asset management, structural and geotechnical monitoring, risk assessment and the use of numerical modelling to support operational decisions.
Presentations were delivered by experts from Romania, Serbia, France, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, while the discussions provided an opportunity for operators, specialists and researchers to exchange experience and share best practices.
This year’s edition also carried special historical significance. On September 27, 2026, 130 years had passed since the inauguration of the Șip Navigation Canal in 1896, an important milestone in the history of international cooperation on the development of the Danube and inland navigation.
The anniversary was marked by an exhibition of historical photographs organised in the foyer of the Romanian Academy Library.
Through IRON GATES 2026, Hidroelectrica reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening technical and institutional cooperation with its Serbian partners and ensuring the responsible management of hydropower infrastructure.
The safety, modernisation and continuous monitoring of the Iron Gates systems remain strategic priorities, essential to their long-term operation and to preserving their role in the regional energy sector.