Several unfavorable processes are taking place in the field of energy: large capacities of renewable energy sources (with variable and unpredictable availability) are being put into operation without detailed analises of its influence on electric power systems (EPS), large thermal and nuclear power plants (those who ensured the stability and reliability of EPS) are being closed, energy transmission systems are being cut off for political reasons as well as the import of some most important energy sources (natural gas, coal, oil). Those processes significantly change the role of hydropower plants in the EPS. All types of hydropower plants are becoming specialy important, especially those with water storage reservoirs and large installed capacities. Their role in regulating and ensuring the reliability of EPSs is significantly increasing. Beside the storage hydropower plants, pumped-storage hydropower plants become more important due to their possibilities to regulate the system in conditions of sudden changes of the power of wind and solar power plants,. The article discusses the processes in the world in terms of hydropower, the available hydropower potential in Serbia, as well as the real possibilities for its utilization. The most important hydropower systems remaining for construction are presented in the article. It is pointed out the necessity to clearly delineate which energy sources are really renewable and which contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas. The importance of spatial planning which should protect the spaces necessary for the construction of hydropower systems is particularly emphasized.

U svetu se odigravaju nepovoljni procesi u energetici: nedovoljno prostudirano se uvode u pogon velike snage obnovljivih izvora energije čija je raspoloživost vrlo promenljiva i nepredvidiva, zatvaraju se velike termoelektrane i nuklearne elektrane koje su obezbeđivale stabilnost i pouzdanost elektroenergetskih sistema, iz političkih razloga se prekidaju transferi energije i uvoz nekih ključnih energenata (prirodni gas, ugalj, nafta). Ti procesi radikalno menjaju ulogu hidroelektrana u elektroenergetskim sistemima. Sve vrste hidroelektana dobijaju na posebnom značaju, a posebno akumulacione hidroelektrane velikih instalisanih snaga. Značajno se povećava njihova uloga u regulaciji i obezbeđivanju pouzdanosti elektroenergetskih sistema. Zbog regulacije sistema u uslovima nagle promenljivosti snaga elektrana koje koriste vetar i Sunce, pored akumulacionih hidroelektrana velikih snaga, veliki značaj dobijaju i reverzibilne, pumpno akumulacione hidroelektrane. U članku se razmatraju procesi u svetu na planu hidroenergetike, raspoloživi hidroenergetski potencijali Srbije, kao i realne mogućnosti za njihovu realizaciju. Prikazuju se ključni hidroenergetski sistemi koji su preostali za izgradnju. Ukazuje se na neophodnost da se metodološki jasno razgraniči koji energetski izvori spadaju zaista u klasu obnovljivih izvora energije, i koji zaista doprinose smanjenju emisije gasova staklene bašte. Posebno se naglašava značaj da se prostornim planovina svih nivoa definišu i obezbede od devastacije i zauzeća prostori koji su neophodni za realizaciju hidroenergestkih sistema.