As part of “ecological continuity” (guarantees the passage of fish) and sediments through rivers and other aquatic environments) the decrees fall but are not the same for the owners of hydroelectric power stations in the Basque Country.
With a prefectural decree which on the one hand orders Xavier Cabillon (photo) owner of the family hydroelectric plant of the Fonderie de Banca in the Basque Country to allow fish to cross his work with the installation of a ladder fish (200,000 euros as far as he is concerned) and another ministerial decree which prohibits it for health reasons towards fish farms, the current president of the Union for the Defense of Hydroelectric Works and Water ( the SDOHE) steps up to the plate and denounces the nonsense of the administration in the name of this “ecological continuity” which pits ecology against…ecology.
Indeed, fish are like the prefectural decrees they are not alike and if a fish carrying disease climbs up a ladder, spreads an epizootic (epidemic) and contaminates the fish farms the owner runs the risk of being sanctioned with five years of imprisonment. imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros (Article L228-3 rural and maritime fishing code)
So what to do, in the event of refusal to install this equipment, it is outside the law and if it is carried out and spreads an epizootic, it is considered legally responsible.
Whether for legal, health or financial reasons, the risk of seeing this clean local economy, these mills and their energy production disappear is very real. The 27 mills currently active produce 7% of the electricity consumption of the Basque Country (tourist period included) and would have a potential of 10% possible if they were optimized.
The existence of these power plants is conditioned by operating authorizations issued by the prefectures over several years and 13 of the 27 power plants currently in operation expire by 2030 and their renewal is not certain and even threatened for the reasons mentioned previously.
Turbine makers are turbines for “ecological continuity” but which one?
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