In order to form policy guidelines on small hydropower plants (SHPP), the Energy Community (EnC) Secretariat is reaching out to stakeholders to provide their views and input.
The development of small hydropower projects in the Energy Community and its impact for instance on nature and biodiversity, population, human health, soil, water and landscape have been subject to growing public opposition and complaints to the Energy Community Secretariat. The overall purpose of the policy guidelines is to steer public authorities and project developers to ensure correct implementation of the acquis communautaire on environment and inform the general public about the legally obliged environmental assessment processes, public participation requirements and recourse possibilities.
The draft policy guidelines, which also serve as the consultation document, reflect on small hydropower development in the Energy Community and set out the Secretariat’s considerations for investments in hydropower projects. The key focus of the document are the environmental assessment processes that should underpin these projects as required by the acquis. Furthermore, it also addresses other relevant issues such as the effect of support schemes and state aid implications.
