North Evia: Full reverse for wind turbines under the weight of opposition

All at once and by legislation the Ministry of the Environment takes back the licensing for wind turbines for the creation of a wind farm for a period of 25 years in Mount Telethrio, the unique mountain not affected from last August's fire in northern Evia.

In today's letter to the Chairman of the Plenary of the Energy Regulatory Authority, Θ. Daguma, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Kostas Skrekas expresses the (after the fact and following the strong reaction of the Mayor of Istria, Yannis Kontzia), «surprised» by the RAE's decision on licensing, which it calls to revoke. The decision came at a time when the Reconstruction Committee for Northern Evia, which has been set up, has not announced its initiatives regarding the spatial and urban planning of the area.

However, on the basis of the RAE decision, the installation of the Wind Farm, consisting of 13 wind turbines, with an impeller diameter of 71 m, of a total length of 29,9 MW.

It was preceded by the pre-announcement of mobilisations on behalf of the mayor of the area, John Konzias, who had characterized the RAE's decision to install wind turbines in Telethrio as «extremely provocative», noting in his post that «Haste betrays... The struggle will be universal and will be done without discounts until the end. No one will be missing on this front as well. We are tuning up and starting. The recent catastrophe has devastated the country but not our principles. We are stronger now. All TOGETHER we will win.».

Note that the Monstrous is the only mountain that Located at in the area from the firestorm last August. It has an altitude 970 meters, while the area, along with Lichada and Yaltra, is included in the Natura 2000 network.

In Telethrio there are dense forests with a wide variety of trees, ravines, gorges and waterfalls.

The Skreka letter

In suspension of the issuing of permits for RES projects in the area of North Evia and the revocation of licenses issued recently, calls on the management of the RAE, the Minister of Environment in his letter with the aim of more effective planning and the smooth implementation of the plan of the Reconstruction Commission for northern Evia.

At the same time announces that the Ministry of Environment and Energy will immediately submit a legislative regulation for the suspension of the validity of the permits issued recently and the suspension of the issuance of new permits, until the completion of the reconstruction plan for the fire-affected areas of North Evia.

In the letter, which is written in a strong style, Mr.Skrekas notes that «despite the explicit commitment of the Government that there will be no intervention in fire-affected areas until the submission of the Commission's draft, I was surprised to learn that the Energy Regulatory Authority granted a permit for the installation of 13 wind turbines on Mount Telethrio in the Municipality of Istiiaia - Edipsos, for a period of 25 years».

He also recalls that after the devastating fires that hit North Evia last month, the government immediately proceeded to set up a Reconstruction Commission of the fire-affected areas led by the Stavros Beno.

The Reconstruction Commission is expected in the next period to submit a comprehensive proposal for the spatial, town planning and urban planning of the affected settlements in Evia, in the context of their restoration and protection projects.