Abstract:
Hydropower exploitation has become a multifaceted task due to continuously increasing interest in all parts of the world but also
due to inhomogeneity of framework conditions in the social, the political, the regulatory and the economic view. The final success
of a plant is not only ensured by a good technical concept or design but additionally by a suitably model of financing, by selecting
the most reliable partners, by evaluating the environmental restrictions or the political stability of the country where the plant will
be built.
All the decisions to be taken are related to a specific uncertainty and consequently a specific risk, bound to country specifications
like the legal situation, the political stability or the economic situation but also to technical topics like design, construction and
operation of the plant. I order to gain the highest possible stage of certainty it is recommended to follow a more or less
comprehensive checklist of risks related to hydropower development. The contribution is the outcome of the long termed
experience of several hydropower engineers and very many individual projects.
Unfortunately it is not possible to offer solutions to all the risks identified. Risk will remain but it should be recognised, calculated
or at least evaluated to avoid a big surprise in a late stage.