Prague - Of the renewable energy sources that generate electricity, hydropower is the most often used, including the Czech Republic.

In 2008, ČEZ small hydropower plants generated 212.3 gigawatt hour of electricity.

"Such an amount generates electricity for 60,000 households for one whole year," ČEZ executive director Josef Sedlák said. ČEZ operates 20 small hydropower plants and 1 big one.

He added that last year produced more electricity by 4.5 million kilowatt hour of electricity than in the previous year. That was achieved thanks to favorable natural conditions, meaning sufficient amount of water and technical arrangements. These included increased efficiency of turbines.

The months of March and April were the most favorable for the small hydropower plants. "During these months the plants generated around 30 million kilowatt hour of electricity," said Sedlák.

Hydropower plant in Střekov produced the biggest amount of electricity of all the small hydropower plants, amounting to 80 million kilowatt hour.

The second and third places were taken by hydropower plants Vydra with 30 million kilowatt hour of electricity and Obříství with 14 million kilowatt hour of electricity

These three hydropower plants accounted for 58 percent of ČEZ electricity generation in the category of renewable energy.