CWP suspends part of EUR 610 million wind power project in east Bulgaria

Citing disputes with the local authority in Vetrino near Varna, a subsidiary of CWP Europe said it won’t build a planned wind park in its entirety. Total envisaged capacity was 519 MW.

Even though the Supreme Administrative Court of Bulgaria annulled the decision of the Municipality of Vetrino to impose a moratorium on wind power plants, Dobrotich Wind said it decided not to implement its project in the area in full scope. The firm, majority owned by CWP Europe, has been preparing for the last 15 years to build a wind farm in Vetrino and Valchi Dol, both in Varna province in the country’s east.

The latest version of the project was for 74 turbines, of which 24 would be installed in Vetrino. According to the project firm’s website, total capacity is estimated at 519 MW. However, it expects machines of up to 8 MW each to be available in the market.

In addition, it said it would seek no subsidies. The endeavor is valued at EUR 610 million,

Developer cites disinformation campaign

Dobrotich Wind, which took its name after a village in Valchi Dol, accused the Municipality of Vetrino of working against Bulgaria’s laws. The moratorium was adopted last year after negotiations on remuneration with the local authority and farmers failed.

Some protestors claimed that wind turbines cause cancer, and even plague, which the firm now called a campaign of disinformation and manipulation and sowing panic.

Community program to be redirected

The firm pointed out that it would redirect the investments in programs benefitting the community to places where the project is supported. The delays and the reduction of the project lead to “hundreds of millions in lost revenues,” it said and noted that it could seek damages in court.

However, Dobrotich Wind appealed to the municipal administration to change its stance, suggesting that the investment plans and socially responsible activities could then be resumed in full.

Of note, the name Vetrino is derived from the Bulgarian word for wind, vyatar. Data from the 2011 census show that the municipality had just 5,400 inhabitants.