News

Infringement procedure over micro hydro plants

Published

June 18, 2015

Comments

0

Share

Published:

June 18, 2015

Comments:

0

Share

The European Commission (EC) is initiating an infringement procedure against Romania over the micro hydropower plant projects underway on the Dejani-Lupșa and Vistișoara rivers on the northern slope of the Făgăraș mountains, WWF-Romania said, Act Media agency reported.

In a release, the environmental advocacy and restoration organization states that it has been informed about this move in a June 3 official letter from the European Union body. WWF-Romania representatives told Agerpres agency that the executive institution had informed the authorities in Bucharest that on May 28 legal action would be pursued.

“From information that we hold, the infringement procedure also targets the destructive projects on the southern slope of the Făgăraș mountains, on the Capra and Buda rivers. Confirmation from the European Commission comes a year and a half after WWF filed two formal complaints to the commission, signalling a number of systemic violations of European and national legislation on water and biodiversity, in what concerns the authorization of constructions and their location in protected areas of European interest (Natura 2000),” details the WWF-Romania release.

According to the organization, the initiation of such a procedure follows some far-reaching steps Romania failed to respond to. According to WWF-Romania, other projects have been illegally approved for the Alb river in Retezat mountains, and Bistra Mărului, Şucu and Olteana rivers in Țarcu mountains, where company SC Alset Energy SRL proposed two projects with two MHPs each. In a statement, WWF calls for the urgent intervention of the Ministry of Environment in these cases, Romania-insider.com reported.

Related Articles

Bulgaria changes Energy from Renewable Sources Act

Bulgaria adopts changes to Energy from Renewable Sources Act

03 October 2023 - Bulgaria simplified renewables permitting, rolled out banking guarantees for projects and regulated citizen energy communities

White hydrogen: Sustainable energy from the depths of Earth

White hydrogen: sustainable energy from depths of Earth

02 October 2023 - White hydrogen is gaining attention in the context of decarbonization as it can become one of the cleanest energy sources

viktor andonov cebren hydropower ppc

Andonov: Čebren hydropower plant to accelerate renewables development in North Macedonia

02 October 2023 - Once constructed, the Čebren pumped storage hydropower plant will significantly accelerate the deployment of renewables...

Drina river transboundary cooperation water climate energy nexus UNECE Finland BIH

Promoting transboundary cooperation on water and energy in Drina River Basin to achieve the green energy transition and climate commitments

02 October 2023 - Authors: Sara Todorovic, Researcher and Coordinator at Finnish Environment Institute SYKE and Annukka Lipponen, Chief...