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

Greece ranks first in Europe in number of citizen energy communities

Greece ranks first in Europe in number of citizen energy communities

29 March 2024 - Greece holds the first place in the number of citizen energy communities, according to a new report by CEER

Croatian Chamber of Economy lex specialis for renewables position paper

Croatian Chamber of Economy asks for lex specialis for renewable energy sector

28 March 2024 - The Association for Renewable Energy Sources produced a position paper identifying obstacles and possible solutions

romania delgaz hydrogen 20HyGrid

Romania successfully tests blending hydrogen in natural gas distribution grid, households

28 March 2024 - E.ON Romania declared success in its test of blending hydrogen into the gas network and using the mixture in households.

IRENA-Global-solar-power-capacity-surpasses-hydropower-in-2023

IRENA: Global solar power capacity surpasses hydropower in 2023

28 March 2024 - The world's renewable electricity capacity additions in 2023 hit a record 473 GW, dominated by China. Solar power became the largest segment in total.