Unresolved conflicts over wind farms threaten Latvia's security and public trust - Vaidere

RIGA - Unresolved conflicts over wind farms threaten Latvia's security and public trust, said Latvia's MEP Inese Vaidere (New Unity).

According to LETA, Vaidere has addressed Prime Minister Evika Silina (New Unity), Climate and Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis (Greens/Farmers), Smart Administration and Regional Development Minister Raimonds Cudars (New Unity), as well as Economics Minister Viktors Valainis (Greens/Farmers), calling on the government to evaluate the planned K2 Ventum wind farm in Dienvidkurzeme municipality and the need for long-term, well-thought-out, data-driven energy planning in Latvia.

The Pavilosta case should not be seen as a local conflict, but as a test of Latvia's ability to make safe and responsible long-term decisions, noted Vaidere, who serves on the EP's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and is vice-president of the European Energy Forum.

She concluded that industrial wind farms should only be sited in designated areas, respecting the landscape, cultural and historical values, and the balance between the natural environment, the local economy, and the quality of life of residents, otherwise the consequences will be immediate and there is a risk of irreversibly losing the very thing that makes the neighborhood viable. Vaidere stresses that a clear mapping of the territory of Latvia is needed, where these wind farms could be built, and then companies could apply for their projects accordingly.

She noted that the planned project involves the construction of 46 wind turbines, 250 meters high, on the Baltic Sea coast, in the protection zone between the Grini Reserve and Ziemupe Nature Reserve, just 2.5 kilometers from Pavilosta. It is a small coastal town with a preserved fishing village layout, which has become an important tourist destination over the past 30 years, based on its unspoiled coastal landscape and quality of life, the politician said.

Vaidere summarized that K2 Ventum does not comply with the Pavilosta spatial plan or the Dienvidkurzeme Sustainable Development Strategy, which envisages other areas for wind energy development with significantly less impact on settlements and the coast.

The MEP also draws the government's attention to the strategic importance of the Baltic Sea coast for Latvia's national security and airspace surveillance. The Defense Ministry has indicated that the construction of wind farms in this area is only permissible with compensatory solutions, the implementation, costs, and financing of which have not yet been made clear to the public. The MEP stressed that the public has the right to know how these solutions will be implemented and whether the adaptation of the safety infrastructure will be at the expense of the taxpayer.

According to Vaidere, there have also been public promises of annual contributions of almost EUR 1 million to the municipal budget, but there are no publicly available calculations and no legally binding guarantees that these payments will be met. She adds that it is also unclear how a currently unprofitable company, only a few years old, with a share capital of EUR 2,800, will be able to deliver all that it promises. There is no clear information on the dismantling of the wind turbines, the restoration of the site and the financial guarantees at the end of their life, the MEP added.

"Renewable energy is a strategic priority for both the European Union and Latvia, and Latvia needs wind energy too, but it must not be discredited by hasty, ill-considered projects. Smart, transparent, and balanced development is the only way to strengthen both energy security and public confidence," said Vaidere.