The plan to build wind parks near Hlohovec (Trnava region) and in Michalovce district (Kosice region), which was submitted in October by the Slovak Nuclear Energy Company (JESS) for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, is opposed by affected municipalities, according to a meeting of their representatives held in Hlohovec on Tuesday.
"As we all disagree with the construction of these wind parks, we jointly signed a memorandum against the project today, which I will deliver to the Environment Ministry," said Hlohovec mayor Ivan Baranovič, adding that municipalities will also submit their individual statements.
According to him, a petition against the plans to build wind parks is also planned. Baranovič said Nitra region governor Branislav Becik, who promised to submit the memorandum to the House committee for agriculture and the environment, also attended the meeting.
"We do not want wind turbines built here unless necessary. As we understand, Slovakia has already complied with its green energy quotas. This whole fuss is completely inappropriate," stressed Patrik Magdoško, mayor of the town of Strážske, who represented several Michalovce district municipalities at the meeting.
According to the memorandum, the municipalities call on the competent authorities and investors to halt all permitting procedures related to the construction of wind parks in their territory, insisting that any projects of this kind must be conditional upon the consent of the affected municipalities and their residents.
The Slovak Nuclear Energy Company (JESS) doesn't intend to push through the construction of wind parks at all costs, but instead prepare a methodologically correct and socially acceptable framework for the future development of wind energy, JESS spokesperson Marta Pavliková said on Tuesday in response to opposition voiced by affected municipalities.
According to Pavliková, JESS is neither an investor, nor an operator of wind turbines.
"If municipalities submit negative opinions or comments, these will be properly incorporated into the EIA process. The EIA itself is a tool to allow environmental and social aspects of the project to be taken into account," stated Pavliková. If certain parts of the territory prove to be unsuitable, they will be excluded from assessment, she explained.
Pavliková noted that JESS has been tasked with preparing a methodology for wind energy development based on a government resolution and according to a mandate from the Economy Ministry from 31 August 2023, as well as in line with the tasks under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The project is currently in the preparatory phase, with the main part being the EIA process.
"At this stage, it is not about implementation, but rather about gathering expert documentation and feedback from the public and concerned entities. The goal is not to approve or reject the project, but to objectively evaluate potential risks and benefits while allowing the public to participate in the decision-making process," stressed Pavliková.
Further steps regarding the implementation of wind turbines will be decided by the relevant ministries based on a comprehensive assessment of a number of factors to be evaluated in later stages of the project. The company sent letters to all affected municipalities immediately after publishing the plans and, according to Pavliková, a meeting with mayors was held to present the project and answer their questions.
JESS plans to install up to 69 wind turbines with a total capacity of 430 MW in western Slovakia in the districts of Hlohovec, Nitra and Galanta (Nitra region). In the eastern leg of the project, some 45 wind turbines with a total capacity of 315 MW should be built in Michalovce district.
Source: TASR
