Filenews 5 October 2022 - by Angelos Nicolaou
Their vertical disagreement with the construction of the 65 MW solar thermal park is expressed by the community councils of Agia Varvara and Alhambra, which will host it. They raise environmental and urban issues, concerns that the proposed project will be a brake on the development of communities, concerns about the fact that a hunting ground will be lost. Questions also arise about the procedure followed for the lease of state plots and in fact of an area of more than 3.3 million sqm worth €21.7 million based on Cadastral prices.
Asked to refer to this issue, the Auditor General, Odysseas Michaelides, expressed to "F" the disagreement of the Service with the concession of state land without following any procedure. He noted, however, that the government repeatedly ignores the establishment of the Audit Office. He explained that the right procedure would be that once a private company is interested in acquiring state land, to request the expression of interest from other entrepreneurs, so that in case land is leased to ensure the best possible rent.
The proposed thermal solar power plant replaces electricity generation with the combustion of conventional fuels and contributes to the independence from the import of fuels and in general to the safe energy supply of the country. The environmental impact assessment study from the development is under public consultation by the Department of Environment until October 23, 2022.
The two communities in their letters to the District Officer of Nicosia and the Department of Town Planning and Housing express their disagreement and do not recommend the issuance of a planning permit.
Speaking to "F", the president of the community of Agia Varvara, Marios Georgiou, pointed out that this development commits a huge area of land of 3,317,539sq.m. of the two communities and will be a brake on their development. Furthermore, he notes that one of the plots that will be leased to the company abuts the residential area and part of it has been granted for the creation of plots to families with low incomes. Only in 2021 there were two decisions of the Council of Ministers, the first (15/11/2021) for the exceptional concession of three unallocated plots to families with low incomes without the payment of 25% of the value of the plots and the second (2/12/2021) for an exceptional separation of 11 plots for families with low incomes in the Community of Agia Varvara. Mr. Georgiou invokes the policy of the Department of Urban Planning where such developments cannot be adjacent to residential zones and protection zones must be created, which nullify the values of neighbouring plots and degrade the area. He also questioned under what conditions the competent Services are considering a request for development on land that does not belong to the applicant company.
At the same time, Mr. Georgiou points out that archaeological excavations have been carried out in the same piece by the University of Switzerland, where they highlighted the copper processing in Almyras dating back to 600 BC, recreation areas, etc. It also cites a study that the Department of Urban Planning itself carried out in the Regulatory Action Plans of the communities, where this area is characterized as of particular interest and its geomorphological characteristics, flora and fauna should be preserved.
It is noted that during the company's consultations with the communities, a question was raised about the fact that an application for the issuance of planning permission has been submitted without the lease agreement of the state plots having been signed. An advisor to the development company pointed out that the procedure provided for by the Cypriot legislation regarding the lease of state land, is that the lease agreement is signed after the issuance of the planning permit.
The president of the community of Alampras, Achilleas Malachouridis, told "F" that the company did not give convincing answers, neither on issues of possible toxicity of thermal storage in case of leakage, nor whether it will cause alteration of the visual environment with a reflection of the mirrors, nor for the interventions in the relief of the area with soil that will be moved within the site for the installation of tracers. Organised hunters are also concerned since hunting is allowed in the area and this development will result in its exclusion.
At €250 million. the cost of development
In the assessment of the impact on the environment from the operation of a thermal solar power plant in the communities of Alhambra and Agia Varvara in the Nicosia District, the environmental study submitted to the Environmental Authority on behalf of the company MAXX CY is mentioned. The study presents the results of the analysis and impact assessment proposed by the consulting firm Aeoliki Ltd. Raw material in solar power generation is the sun and water, which is why the emission of pollutants into the environment during the operation of the thermal solar power plant is zero. According to scholars, its operation does not cause pollution to the environment but on the contrary has favourable effects through the reduction of pollutant emissions into the environment because it replaces electricity generation with the combustion of conventional fuels, but also contributes to the independence from the import of fuels and in general to the safe energy supply of the country.
Specifically, the thermal solar power plant with a capacity of 65 MW will reduce the combustion of conventional fuels for power generation by approximately 22,000 toe (=Tons of Oil Equivalent) annually. Furthermore, it is estimated to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the environment by 234,000 tons per year.
All the parameters of the project and its effects were studied and specific management measures were proposed that can make the project environmentally sustainable taking into account the importance and sensitivity of the area.
The researchers point out that the thermal solar power plant will have an impact on the immediate area of development of its facilities, but with the proposed mitigation measures the project becomes environmentally sustainable. The contractor's representatives stated during the consultations with the communities that the economic studies that have been carried out demonstrate the financial viability of the project, despite the high cost of the required investment. They also mentioned that its funding has already been secured. According to the community leaders, it was reported that the cost of implementing the project will amount to €250 million.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that the issue of remunerative benefits to the two communities will be thoroughly investigated with the representatives of the two communities.
It was reported that among the state plots there are a number of private ones, and the position of the company in relation to them was requested. Representatives of the company indicated that there is an intention to purchase the private plots.
INTERVENTION
Funding of studies on behalf of communities
As soon as the whole process of examining a project proceeds, the affected communities will be called upon, in order to strengthen their positions, to hire a designer to do their own independent study that will contrast what is recorded by the designer acting on behalf of the private company. This raises the question of financing these studies carried out on behalf of the communities. In case the communities find it difficult, there should be a way of funding them by the Union of Cyprus Communities with the involvement of the state. In this way, the chances of a possible success are increased in case the arguments put forward by the Local Authorities are justified.
