Dravske Elektrarne Maribor, the largest producer of electricity from renewable sources within the HSE Group, began underground work at the end of 2022 to reconstruct the non-productive Pg-8 well, well of three thousand meters deep, Aboveground work, including construction and electro-mechanical installations, started in April 2023.
According to the initial plans, the startup tests were scheduled for early autumn. However, the reconstruction of the Pg-8 well was prolonged as we encountered problems at a depth of 1,600 meters with the removal of the separating part (the so-called packer). Further delays were also caused by the need to remove water from the well (during the cleaning and leak testing process, the well was filled with water), as it must be dry to add the working fluid required for operation. Currently, there are still approximately ten cubic meters of water in the borehole, which is being removed through evaporation. This process is lengthy but completely environmentally friendly. Due to the extended time required for this procedure, the planned startup tests have been postponed to the winter months, about which we will inform the media and the public.