ReHydro successfully closes first Reporting Period

The demand for flexible renewable energy sources continues to grow across Europe. The EU-funded research project ReHydro: Demonstration of Sustainable Hydropower Refurbishment, focuses on modernising aging hydropower infrastructure to increase efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. Launched in May 2024, the project has now completed its first reporting period in October 2025.

Over the past 18 months, the consortium has advanced several key objectives. Below is a snapshot of the developments that have shaped this first phase.

Demonstration of monitoring technologies

ReHydro aims to implement and demonstrate several digital solutions and advanced control systems to progress predictive maintenance. Over the last months, our partners have developed and now tested a series of monitoring tools across three of ReHydro’s demonstration sites. The research conducted revealed that various combinations of monitoring solutions have potential to significantly contribute to extended asset lifespans and reduced operational costs.

Development of a tool to assess hydropower’s environmental pressure

As hydropower puts pressure on rivers and freshwater ecosystems, ReHydro is developing a practical tool that assesses those pressures across the entire life cycle of a hydropower project. The tool is to be used for support in the early stages of planning, considering local indicators such as habitat changes or water quality to guide eco-conscious choices. Next steps will be to collect further indicators to finish building the tool.

Initial studies for retrofitting with pumped storage

The Ain River hydropower chain is one of France’s most strategically important systems for energy production and water resource management. It includes the Saut-Mortier reservoir, where ReHydro is supporting the ongoing efforts to transform the reservoir into a pumped-storage hydropower facility capable of storing and releasing energy on demand. The groundwork for this task is now completed, culminating in the creation of a fully 3D digital twin.

With the foundations in place, ReHydro is officially out of the starting period and shaping up for even more hands-on work in the months to come.

Author and picture credits: ReHydro project