PILOT

Limske HPP, Serbia (EPS)

Toward Integrated, Resilient and Nature-Inclusive Reservoir Operation

EDP_P | EDP GESTAO DA PRODUCAO DE ENERGIASA

Technical information

  • Operating company: JSC – EPS – Drinsko-Limske HPPs – Limske HPP Nova Varos
  • Type: Reservoir-based cascade
  • Installed capacity: 216 MW (Uvac 36 MW, Kokin Brod 22 MW, Bistrica 104 MW, Potpeć 54 MW)
  • Annual generation: ~567 GWh
  • Commissioning: Various (HPP Bistrica 1960; HPP Kokin Brod 1962; HPP Potpeć 1967 (Unit C 1970); HPP Uvac 1979)
  • Infrastructure: There are 4 major reservoirs (Uvac, Kokin Brod and Radoinja on Uvac river and Potpeć on Lim river
  • Grid connection: EMS
River and basin context

River and basin context

Information coming soon.

Challenges

Challenges

Technical – The cascade operates under complex hydrological conditions. Extreme events – droughts affecting generation and navigation, floods impacting agriculture and communities – are becoming more frequent. Significant sediment accumulation in the Potpeć reservoir reduces storage capacity and affects downstream operations. The ongoing modernisation opens a window to implement multi-criteria optimisation.

Environmental – The cascade is in an ecologically sensitive area, including the Special Nature Reserve “Uvac,” home to griffon vultures and other protected species. Hydropower operations affect fish migration and river flow conditions. Balancing electricity generation with biodiversity protection presents systemic challenges.

Societal – Stakeholders are impacted by uncoordinated hydropeaking and limited transparency — from farmers and local residents to environmental authorities and tourism operators. Conflicting water usage demands (agriculture, tourism, flood protection, public water supply) add further complexity. The Nature Reserve Authority and tourism organisations have a direct interest in maintaining reservoir levels and landscape quality.

Our approach

The modernisation of the cascade offers a chance to better coordinate power generation with other water uses.
It allows comprehensive environmental monitoring to minimise ecological disruption.

Integrating an Energy and Water Management System to optimise cascade operations, accounting for balancing power generation, ecological protection, flood prevention, agriculture, and tourism.

Measurable indicators quantify generation, ecological, social and water usage aspects of cascade operation.

Participatory co-framing with local communities, nature reserve authorities, and tourism actors to validate operational models and enable transparent governance.

Key stakeholders

Key stakeholders

EPS, Special Nature Reserve Authority, local farmers, tourism organisations, municipalities of Varos, Priboj, Prijepolje and Sjenica

Contact

Contact

JSC EPS – Drinsko–Limske HPP Branch Tel: +381 (0)33 61-645
https://www.eps.rs/eng/Pages/default.aspx