On 19-11-2021, the Administrative Court of Appeal of Athens is hearing the applications for the cancellation of electricity production licenses that have been granted for the areas of Foinikies, Mermigaris, Krotiri-Kefalovouni-Pyrgos, Krotiri-Kefalakia. These licenses concern a total capacity of 150 megawatts and are associated with the Kopelouzos and Ellaktor energy groups’ interests.

The vital problem currently at issue with the production licenses for industrial wind farms is that the competent ministries have not indicated to the Regulatory Authority of Energy (RAE) in a clear and specific way the exclusion zones of the special planning for siting renewable energy sources. In the geo-information map of RAE (apart from some minimal exclusion zones) no monuments, historical sites, traditional or other settlements and tourist accommodation have been registered, nor their respective minimum distances from the wind turbines recorded, resulting in the licenses being issued with the logic of “everywhere-wherever the wind blows”.

In the case of Kythera, therefore, distances have not been taken into account between the proposed wind farms and the following sites:

– The traditional settlements of Aroniadika and Mylopotamos

– The Venetian castle of Mylopotamos

– The castle town of Paleochora

– The Byzantine church of Agios Georgios

– The tourist accommodation establishments of Agia Pelagia, Mylopotamos, Trifyllianika, Perlegianika, Pitsinada and Kousounari

– The tourist port of Agia Pelagia

– The archeological site LESKA at the top of Mermigari hill

– The historic site Pyrgos

– The settlement of Kousounari

Although our request for review to RAE included all the above points alongside a number of other legal arguments, it got rejected by RAE declaring themselves essentially incompetent on the basis that the state has not indicated, as it should have done, the exclusion zones for industrial wind farms.

We hope that the court will now condemn this maladministration and cancel the production licenses that have been issued, not permitting investors to proceed to the next stages of licensing. It should be noted that the administrative courts’ decisions are issued several months after the hearing.

With regards to the 3 recent new production licenses that the Regulatory Authority of Energy (RAE) granted to Terna energy group, respective appeals were filed against RAE, and the legal expenses were covered by many citizens who deposited their donations in the designated KIPA account. In order for the legal battle for these 3 new licenses to continue in the administrative courts it is vital to keep fundraising going through the KIPA account.

Since 2006, the Kytherian Foundation (ΚΙΠΑ) has championed the conservation of Kythera island’s cultural and natural heritage, while contributing to sustainable development and the quality of life of the local community through educational activities, events, scientific conferences and the restoration of traditional trails among others.

A receipt will be sent to each depositor. Please donate any amount, small or big, to the following KIPA designated account:

NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE: 380/002419-84

ΙΒΑΝ: GR2301103800000038000241984

BIC: ETHNGRAA

Source: Dynamo Kythira Press Release