Mini-hydroelectric power plant in Gorazde helped Ukraine during war

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Mini-hydroelectric power plant in Gorazde helped Ukraine during war

The Berliner Kurier reports that the city of Gorazde survived the siege of 1992 -- 1995 thanks to a mini-hydroelectric power plant on the Drina River. The citizens of Gorazde received an invitation from the European Union to help the Ukrainians.

The article also states how the people who work for the EU mission in Sarajevo came up with a way to help the Ukrainians and turned to Edin Culov, the Prime Minister of Gorazde Canton Bosnian Podrinje Canton Gorazde, to request drawings, photos and videos about mini power plants that were used in Gorazde during the war. The plants consisted of hand-made wheels with paddles mounted on wooden platforms with electric generators, secured by barrels and ropes, around a bridge over the Drina River.

The main power supply cable led from the power plant, or generator, to the bridge, from where the generated electricity was brought to the city through smaller cables. These auxiliary power plants supplied the hospital with electricity. At least it was possible to ensure the supply of the city hospital, which was constantly working, depending on the amount of water in the river. A light bulb or a radio, sometimes even a television, could be turned on with the electricity produced by the house, according to the German newspaper reports.

A group of local mechanical engineers and electricians made a prototype for the first time. Their invention was clever, but simple enough that others could easily replicate it. Residents found the necessary components in motors, alternators, capacitors, and scrap material from bombed factories, vehicles, and homes. The article then goes on to say that survivors said that the improvised power generation devices were decisive in Gorazde being the only enclave in eastern BiH that was not occupied by Serbian forces. After the war, the mini-power plants were removed.

Prime Minister is looking for inventors of mini-power plants.

Three decades later, Culov started a search for the inventors of these devices, and asked the residents to submit documents or memories of the mini-power plants, which are still preserved, at the request of the EU. The collected information was handed over to the EU mission, which was then forwarded to Ukraine. I assume that they will use the material we provided for the development of some test models. If they prove to be viable, then they will go into mass production, says Culov in a text reported by the Berliner Kurier.

In the end of the day, it is stated that the two surviving members of the original team of constructors of the mini-power plant on the Drina River in Gorazde reported to Prime Minister Culov. One of the best engineers in the city is Aziz Lepenica, who taught engineering at a technical school until a few years ago. He offered to make drawings and technical calculations for Ukraine with the students, because they didn't have time for drawings during the war, but did all the calculations and plans in their heads DW reports.