Environmental groups appeal against Swiss Alpine solar project

Helvetia Nostra appeals against the "Gondosolar" project Keystone-SDA

The Franz Weber Foundation (FFW) and Helvetia Nostra (HN) are lodging an appeal against the planned Alpine photovoltaic plant in Gondo in canton Valais. The "Gondosolar" project would lead to the destruction of a valuable alpine ecosystem, say the opponents in a press release.

“The impact of the project on the landscape, and above all on nature, would be extremely serious”, the appellants pointed out on Thursday. “Moreover, they are poorly documented, if at all, making it very difficult for the authorities and civil society to assess their exact extent. HN has also demanded a legal opinion as part of its appeal.

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For FFW and HN, the project “has serious technical and procedural shortcomings. “No alternative study has been carried out, even though other areas in the region or canton would have been more favourable, due to the connection to existing infrastructure, the presence of already built-up territory or the lesser impact on flora and fauna.”

Proceedings started

The opponents also point the finger at the Cantonal Building Commission, which decided to approve a project “without any compensation measures being imposed”.

For all these reasons, an appeal was lodged with the Valais State Council on Wednesday. A parallel procedure is underway with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy to obtain approval for the electrical infrastructure required for the project.

The “Gondosolar” project involves the installation of 2,200 double-sided solar modules, arranged vertically on cross-shaped structures, over an area of around 17,000 m2, at an altitude of more than 2,000 metres. The area is currently entirely free of any kind of infrastructure.

Adapted from French by DeepL/ac

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