Home Brussels Expired permit threatens 30-million-euro investment in Wallonia’s windmills

Expired permit threatens 30-million-euro investment in Wallonia’s windmills

by editor
The Brussels Lower Court has ruled that the nine windmills of the Greensky Project in Wallonia were built without a valid permit, thus jeopardizing an investment of 30 million euros, La Libre Belgique reported on Thursday.
The project is a partnership between Engie-Electrabel (50%), the city of Saint-Trond (23%), the Brussels’ electricity utility, IBE, (17%) and Infrabel (10%).

The nine windmills are located along Highway E40 in the communes of Lincent, Hannut (Liège), Orp-Jauche and Hélécine (Walloon Brabant) and directly provide energy for the local train network.

Their sole permit, valid for two years, had been obtained from the Wallonia Region in late 2011. Construction of the windmills was to have started by late 2013, but a petition against the permit filed by local residents with the Council of State, led to a postponement. The work was eventually done outside the timelines of the permit.

The Court ruled that Electrabel had built the nine windmills without a permit.

The company argued, on the other hand, that the two-year timeline of the permit had been frozen while the petition to the Council of State was being handled.

Andy Sanchez

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