Rombat Bistrita to enter energy generation sector

Romanian-based car batteries producer Rombat Bistrita will this year enter the energy generation sector, planning to build several micro-hydropower plants. The company's investment budget for 2009 amounts to 10 million euros, and is to be directed towards building the micro hydropower plants and towards boosting the battery production capacity. "Micro-hydropower plants are the first step towards energy generation. We don't intend to acquire already built micro-hydropower plants. These are new projects, which we will build on our own," said Ioan Repede, general manager of Rombat. Company representatives did not wish to specify whether the future micro-hydropower plants will be built on Somes, Bistrita, or Tisa rivers, their number, or their installed power. The project will be started this year, with the company being in the process of acquiring the last plots necessary for the projects. The company posted a 54 million-euro turnover in 2008, 11% more than in the previous year.