Orlík hydroelectric power station modernization

Litostroj Engineering and ČEZ are progressing with a major modernization project for the Orlík hydroelectric power station in Czechia. Valued at approximately eight billion CZK, the project aims to convert half of the existing units into a bidirectional system, effectively creating the country’s fourth large-scale pumped-storage power plant.

To facilitate this, engineers have been conducting tests at a hydraulic laboratory in Blansko using a 13-times scaled-down model of a reverse Francis turbine. These tests are designed to simulate various operational scenarios to verify the efficiency and stability of the final five-meter diameter turbine. Following the successful completion of these modeling tests, manufacturing is expected to begin, with the potential installation of the first machines at the Orlík dam as early as next year.

Once operational, the facility will function as a massive water battery, capable of storing up to 750 MWh of energy. This system will pump water from the lower Kamýk reservoir to the Orlík reservoir during periods of excess grid energy, providing enough stored power to cover the daily consumption of roughly 80,000 Czech households when demand increases.