Court suspends environmental permit for Hidroelectrica's Răstolița project

The Cluj-Napoca Court of Appeal decided on June 4 to suspend the environmental agreement for the Hidroelectrica's (BVB: H2O) Răstolița hydropower plant project, which is already over 90% completed and scheduled to be put into operation in November this year, the minister of energy, Sebastian Burduja announced. The decision is not final.

"It is not a final decision because the trial regarding the annulment of the environmental agreement for the Răstolița hydroelectric power plant is pending, with a deadline set for June 24. We remain confident that we can win, which would unblock - again - this strategic project," minister Burduja announced.

During the period 2019–2024, due to the blockages generated by serial litigations by 2-3 environmental associations (including Declic and Bankwatch), Hidroelectrica lost 317,140 MWh/year of unproduced energy annually.

The value of this loss amounts to approximately EUR 190 million for Hidroelectrica and EUR 253 million for the Romanian state, which had to compensate through expensive energy imports. In total, the loss totals EUR 443 million.

(Photo source: Facebook/Sebastian Burduja)