WIND TURBINES: OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION (17 June 2008)

Following a formal request from the Kytherian Foundation for Culture & Development (KIPA), which has been leading the fight against the installation of one or more wind-turbine farms on the island, to the Greek Energy Regulation Authority (RAE), an answer dated 11 June 2008 has been received which gives the full list of those companies which have so far formally applied for “permits to produce electrical energy in the municipality of Kythera”. These are, together with the MW applied for and the location selected, are as follows:

1. International Aeolian of Peloponnesus S.A., 30 MW in Finikies;
2. International Aeolian of Peloponnesus S.A., 30 MW on Mount Mermingaris;
3. Aeolian of Paneios S.A., 48 MW in Akrotiri-Kefalovouni-Pyrgos area;
4. Aeolian of Paneios S.A., 42 MW in Akrotiri-Kefalakia area.

The letter from RAE goes on to state that: “RAE informs you that Preliminary Environmental Impact Studies have been submitted alongside the aforementioned applications, but no documentation proving that the applicants have secured a location. We further inform you that RAE has not as yet taken a decision one way or another on these applications”.

The total production formally applied for to date comes to 150MW. It is very likely that there are plans afoot from other companies to request permission for even larger output.