Vidraru Dam, Arch dam on the Argeș River, Argeș County, Romania

Vidraru Dam is a concrete multiple-arch dam with nine horizontal galleries, 166.6 metres high and 307 metres long at the crest, which is six metres wide. The crest carries the Transfăgărășan road (DN 7C), and the dam stands between the Frunții and Ghițu mountains.

Work on the dam and the power plant began in 1961; the Argeș was diverted through a 5.20-metre pipe during construction. The reservoir was first filled in December 1965 and the dam was commissioned on 15 March 1966, with the power plant following on 9 December 1966. At completion it ranked fifth in Europe and ninth in the world among dams of its kind.

Above the dam on the left bank stands a sculpture by Constantin Popovici titled Electricitate, overlooking the reservoir. The figure marks the hydroelectric scheme that reshaped the Argeș valley, and drivers on the Transfăgărășan pass directly beneath it.

The site is surrounded by mountains and best visited during daylight to see the structure and landscape clearly. Viewing points offer different perspectives of the dam and reservoir, and sturdy footwear is recommended for walking on uneven terrain.

The power plant was started on 9 December 1966 and, until 1989, bore the name of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej. Its four Francis turbines of 55 MW each sit in a cavern 7.80 m long, 16.70 m wide and 31.70 m high, reached by a 2,130 m supply conduit in the right valley flank.