HOW AGIA PELAGIA IS AT RISK-POTAMOS FROM THE ENERGY REGULATORY AUTHORITY WHEN THE LAWS THAT PROTECT THEM ARE NOT ENFORCED.
On February 10, 2020, the Hellenic Energy Regulatory Authority (RAE) an electricity generation license for the ‘KROTERI-KEFALAKIA’ INDUSTRIAL WIND FARM to ELLAKTOR S.A. This wind farm consists of 14 VESTAS V90 wind turbines with a rotor diameter of 90 meters and a total height of 125 meters.
According to the Special Framework for Spatial Planning:
The minimum distance from monuments and historical sites of major significance is 3,000 meters.
According to the meeting of the CENTRAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL COUNCIL (CAC) held on June 15, 2012, the designation and demarcation of the Paleochora archaeological site were approved. The distance from the nearest wind turbine to the designated archaeological site is 30 meters!! All wind turbines are located within the exclusion zone.
The minimum distance from tourist accommodations must be 1,000 meters.
In Agia Pelagia, Kythira, there are at least 18 tourist accommodations within the exclusion zone.
Greek law provides that the RAE shall grant a license for electricity generation after reviewing:
‘’THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFIC FRAMEWORK FOR SPATIAL PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLEfor renewable energy sources in a specific and concrete manner.’.
On June 17, 2010, in a letter to the Minister of the Environment, and on July 6, 2010, in a letter to the Ministry of Culture, the RAE requested specific and detailed information.
This announcement was made, and SOME exclusion zones were designated.
Eleven years later, on February 12, 2021, the Hellenic Energy Regulatory Authority (RAE) invited all interested parties to submit a bid for the direct award of the project «Development of geoinformation maps depicting the exclusion zones resulting from the prescribed siting distances for renewable energy installations in accordance with the Special Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development for Renewable Energy Sources.»
This raises a reasonable question: Have the provisions of the law been taken into account over these 11 years? The answer is simple. NO. .
So here’s what’s happening with one of the four production licenses on the island of Kythira for which appeals were filed with the RAE and were rejected.
Analyses will follow for the remaining industrial wind farms with production licenses in Kythira. We would like to point out that these are not installation permits. However, this carelessness on the part of the RAE is having consequences for our island on many levels (legal costs, cancellations of land sales, concern among many of our fellow citizens, and so on).
The dialogue on renewable energy sources that began a year ago on the island is important.
Any alternative proposals that are put forward are also important.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING AND TO ASSERT THERESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW.
The fact that the Energy Regulatory Authority grants production licenses without knowing the exclusion zones is outrageous, but how much more outrageous is it to reject appeals when these exclusion zones are brought to its attention!
KYTHIRA CITIZENS' MOVEMENT—DYNAMO KYTHIRA
P.S. All 14 wind turbines fit into the last photo taken from Agia Anastasia.
