Crete wind farm project opposition

Opposition has emerged against a proposed 52.8 MW wind farm project in the Asi Gonia area of the Apokoronas municipality in Crete.

Initially, the Mayor of Apokoronas, Charalampos Koukiánakis, issued an open letter to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis requesting the project be withdrawn. The Mayor cited unanimous opposition from the Municipal Council, arguing that the development threatens the White Mountains, the Azilakas forest, and the Lake Kournas area, while potentially harming the region's historical identity and local quality of life.

Subsequently, the Western Crete branch of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) issued a negative opinion regarding the project's Environmental Impact Study (EIS). The TEE requested that the Region of Crete return the study for revision, citing deficiencies in assessments regarding birdlife, noise, landscape, and hydrogeology. The Chamber specifically noted risks to the karst feeding system of Lake Kournas and highlighted that the study failed to address the cumulative effects of a larger 1,023.5 MW wind energy complex in Crete.