The Kythera Citizens' Movement denounces the promotion of a 135MW wind project by TERNA - MASDAR, in protected areas of the island, and while has been pending for a year and a half the approval of the Special Environmental Study and of Local Urban Plan, which will explicitly prohibit such installations.
It is stressed that this project exceeds the needs of the island (4MW) and is proceeding without institutional cover, with the government is inexplicably delayed the ratification of critical environmental protection regulations.
Below is the press release of the Kythera Citizens' Movement.
PRESS RELEASE CITIZENS' MOVEMENT OF KYTHERA
Although the protected areas play a very important role in the conservation of biodiversity, the country does not show the same respect for their protection, resulting in a condemnation by the Court of Justice of the EU (C - 849/19/17.12.2020), as it has failed to meet its obligations by not adopting for years the necessary measures (management plans, special environmental studies and regulatory acts) to protect the species and habitats of the Natura 2000 network. When Special Environmental Studies (SEEs) have not been drawn up and the relevant protection orders have not been issued, the siting of energy activities within these areas can only pose very serious risks.
Following the condemnation of the Hellenic Republic by the European Court of Justice, the Ministry of Environment and Energy proceeded with the preparation of the Special Environmental Studies for the areas of the country's NATURA 2000 network. On 28-10-2023, the Special Environmental Study (SEE), concerning the protected areas of the Natoura 2000 network, of the Region of Attica, entitled:
OPM 7a: Group of areas of the Regional Units of North Sector, West Sector, Central Sector, South Sector, Piraeus, Islands, East Attica and West Attica.
The public consultation lasted until 28-9-2023 and was subsequently extended until 20-10-2023.
According to the study, the geographical location of Kythera, in southwestern Greece, at the southernmost tip of the Balkan peninsula, is a very important migratory bottleneck in the central eastern Mediterranean for millions of birds that make their annual migration in the spring months from wintering grounds in the African continent to Eurasia and vice versa in the autumn months. The production of energy from industrial wind power stations should be prohibited in the areas of the island's NATOURA 2000 network (and throughout the island according to the researchers) as it is completely incompatible with its environmental value and poses a very serious threat to the protected object.
On 11-4-25, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Energy by the joint venture TERNA ENERGY S.A. EVE-E-VECTOR AIOΛIKA PARKA HELLAS with the distinctive title AIOΛIKO PARKO TROULLOS O.E.E) for the project ‘’Complex of three (3) (ASPEO) with a total installed capacity of 135MW and a maximum installed capacity of 131,42MW at the sites ‘KARVOUNOOLAKOS - PHOINIKIES’ (31,5 MW), ‘KORDELIDES’ (51,96 MW) & ‘XEROKABIA’ (47,9MW)’’ which belongs due to its size to the most 'heavy' category of projects to be licensed, the A1. It is worth noting that this project is currently the only A1 project in the whole region of Attica. It consists of 30 wind turbines of 4.5MW with a rotor diameter of 136m and a pylon height of 82m and a total capacity of 135 MW! The needs of the island in electric power according to the Municipality of Kythera's SDAE is 4 megawatts
Apart from the Special Environmental Study which for a year and a half is NOT approved by the competent Secretary General, we must also point out that energy projects of this scale are not qualified by the designers who prepare the Local Urban Plan of Kythera as they are based on the conclusions of the already prepared E.P.M. The Local Urban Plan is also ratified like the E.P.M. by Presidential Decree.
At the same time, the revision of the specific spatial framework for renewable energy sources, which has been pending for many years, has long been considered obsolete.
And the legitimate question arises. WHEN IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THE MINISTRY TO LICENSE A PROJECT FOR WHICH IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THERE WILL BE AT LEAST TWO PRESIDENTIAL ORDERS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITING IT?;
The local community denounces the delay in the approval of the Special Environmental Study and the subsequent signing of the corresponding Presidential Decree which, with absolute clarity and documentation, excludes the creation of industrial wind farms in the areas of the NATOURA 2000 network of the island, such as those planned by the energy group MASDAR, which very recently acquired Terna Energy. It is clear that the governmental omission favours the plans of this company.
