Local government reiterate opposition to Mathiatis PV park

A wide range of views were heard and recorded at a meeting on the controversial proposed photovoltaic park in Lythrodontas, Mathiatis and Analionta/Kataliontas, the environment commissioner’s office said on Saturday.

The meeting was held on Friday with the participation of the commissioner Antonia Theodosiou, the head of the Mathiatis community council Theodoros Tsatsos, the president of the Lythrodontas community council Olvia Christoforou, the member of the Lythrodontas community council Therapon Antoniou, and a representative of the Analionta/Katalionta community council.

Among other things, a site visit showed that the pine trees planned to be cut down do not have pine beetles and the forest is healthy.

During the meeting, the three directly affected communities presented their positions and an update was given on the proposal for the construction and operation of a 180MW photovoltaic park and 40MW energy storage units, which is proposed to be erected on state-owned land, most of which has a total area of 3,500 decares.

The local authorities have reportedly expressed their opposition to the construction of a photovoltaic park of such a large capacity, for reasons relating both to the size of the park and the huge area of land it will occupy, and to the thousands of trees that will have to be felled, the change in the character of the natural landscape, the negative impact on an adjacent farm due to the high temperatures that would develop, and above all, as they have indicated, the negative impact on the habitats of the area.

Similar views were expressed by the environment commissioner’s office regarding the impact on the environment.

A site visit to the area followed and it was found, according to the statement, that the pine trees do not have health problems, there are pine trees of various ages which also proves that the pine forest is healthy, olive groves, fertile agricultural land under cultivation as well as very remarkable geomorphology, such as hills with pillow lava. Birds of prey and cranes were also seen.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Supplementary Study has been submitted to the Environmental Authority for the proposed project and the project will remain open for consultation until August 24, it said.

Comments from any interested party may be submitted electronically by this date on the Department of Environment’s website, which includes information on projects submitted to the Environmental Authority under the Environmental Impact Assessment of Certain Projects Act.