“Bajina Bašta” pumped storage hydropower plant was built during the period from 1976 to 1982 and comprises the following main structures:
- “Lazići” dam and reservoir – located in the Beli Rzav River catchment area. The dam is a rock fill dam with central clay core, 130 m high and 219 m long,
- Tunnel – 8 km long and with average diameter of 6.3 m,
- Penstock – 1,700 m long, with a diameter of 4.8/4.2 m,
- Powerhouse with pump-turbine units, installed capacity of 600 MW and
- Structures for control and protection, surge chamber.
The “Lazići” reservoir provides conditions for seasonal water regulation. The discharge of small tributaries located downstream of the “Lazići” dam are collected in the “Spajići” reservoir and transferred by the Đurići pumping station into the Lazići reservoir. The PSHPP powerhouse is located next to the Bajina Bašta HPP powerhouse. The environmentally guaranteed flow is 50 m3/s. The rehabilitation of the generator equipment of both units has been completed in 2005.
The main characteristics of “Bajina Bašta” PSHPP with the “Lazići” dam and appurtenant structures are as follows:
- Lazići reservoir
Total volume | 170 Mm3 |
Live volume | 153 Mm3 |
Max. OEL | 881.5 m.a.s.l. |
Normal OEL | 880.0 m.a.s.l. |
Min. OEL | 815.0 m.a.s.l. |
- Lazići dam
Type | Rock fill with central clay core |
Crest elevation | 883.4 m.a.s.l. |
Height | 130 m |
- Bajina Basta PSHPP
Type | Pumped storage power plant |
Max. head | 609 m |
Rated head | 572 m |
Min. head | 504 m |
Installed flow | 129 m3/s |
Installed power | 614 MW |
Annual energy | 1,200 GWh |
No. of units | 2 |
Type of turbine | Francis |


Source: IWRM Country Report for Serbia, COWI, Stucky and Jaroslav Cerni Water Institute, 2017