The main advantages of Hydroelectric power plants are:
- Do not generate greenhouse gas emissions and do not produce toxic waste
- The most inexpensive energy generator
- The main regulating and balancing capacity in the electricity system in Bulgaria is provided by Hydroelectric power plants
- Water energy can be used under conditions of fluctuating demand patterns
- They are also cost efficient and quick-responsive
- Reservoirs are used for irrigation and water supply
- Their life cycle is long
- HPP can reach its maximum capacity within a few minutes. For comparison – thermal power plants need a few hours.
- Hydropower provides reliable electricity production at considerable scale and at an average price that is lower than the price of the conventional energy.
The main advantage of HPP is the integrated water usage. This is expressed in the following order of priority when obtaining a water use permit:
- for human consumption
- therapy and preventive care – applicable solely to mineral waters
- for agricultural uses
- other uses, including industrial uses, recreation activities and hydraulic-power engineering.