Crete: negative opinions on 188.8 MW of new wind farms in the White Mountains and Lasithi

Two wind projects totalling 188.8 MW, one in western and one in eastern Crete, have received negative opinions from local authorities over the past two weeks, the trade publication Energymag reported on 2 November. In both cases the objections concern the siting of the turbines and the environmental impact studies under public consultation.

Chania. Chania's municipal council voted unanimously on 19 October against the 52.8 MW wind station planned at Asi Gonia, in the municipality of Apokoronas, and asked that the impact study not be approved, according to the daily Chaniotika Nea. “The protection of the White Mountains is a matter that concerns all of Crete,” the resolution says. The council also reiterated its opposition to the route of the Chania–Damasta power line, which it says would serve large private wind farms.

The technical objections. The Western Crete branch of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) has also asked for the study to be sent back. According to the chamber, the project involves eight turbines about 185 m tall, 14.2 km of new roads and the use of about 43.7 ha, mostly forest land, with a substation inside a Natura area. TEE points to gaps regarding birdlife, landscape, noise and water resources, including the karst system that feeds Lake Kournas, and says the project is part of a 1,023.5 MW cluster of wind farms that has not been adequately assessed.

Lasithi. In the east of the island, the Region of Crete's environment committee gave a negative opinion on eight wind stations totalling 136 MW in the municipalities of Ierapetra and Sitia, based on the report of its technical services, Energymag writes. The report recorded 32 passages of the bearded vulture, 28 of them within 250 m of the planned turbines, as well as 24.37 km of new roads and excavations of more than 612,000 m³. The mayor of Sitia, Giorgos Zervakis, has announced that he will challenge any approval of the environmental terms before the Council of State.

What comes next. The local opinions are not final environmental licensing decisions, Energymag stresses, but they increase the institutional pressure on both projects.

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