Investor plans to build 17 wind turbines near Moravský Beroun in Czechia; referendum likely

A consortium of the Archdiocese of Olomouc and Micronix Group plans to build 17 wind turbines around Moravský Beroun in the Olomouc Region. Moravský Beroun could receive ten million crowns a year from the operation of the wind farm. Residents have differing views on the construction of the 17 wind turbines. The Moravský Beroun town council will therefore discuss a proposal next Wednesday to call a referendum in which residents will decide the fate of the project. The Czech News Agency (ČTK) obtained the information today from the website of Moravský Beroun.

The Archdiocese of Olomouc plans to contribute land to the project near Moravský Beroun, while Micronix Group will provide the technology. Ten wind turbines are to be built in the cadastral area of the local district of Čabová and another seven near Moravský Beroun, in the direction of Dětřichov nad Bystřicí. The turbines are designed to have a total height of 230 meters, with blades 81 meters long. Each wind turbine is expected to have a capacity of 6.2 to 7.2 MW.

At a public presentation, the investor promised that if 17 wind turbines are built near Moravský Beroun, the town and its residents will receive total compensation of 651 million crowns over 25 years. This amount includes discounted electricity for local residents as well as direct payments to the town, which are expected to total ten million crowns a year.

The Moravský Beroun town council discussed proposals from investors seeking to build wind turbines in the area in September. It came out in favor of the Micronix Group project. Next week, the council will discuss a proposal to call a referendum, which town officials estimate could be held on Saturday, February 3, 2024. If residents vote against the plan, the town hall will prepare an amendment to the zoning plan banning the construction of wind turbines. If they vote in favor, the town will sign an agreement with the investor and prepare an amendment to the zoning plan to allow the construction.

The hills in the foothills of the Nízký Jeseník range have long attracted wind power investors thanks to favorable conditions. Two wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kilowatts, are operating between the municipalities of Hraničné Petrovice and Jívová. A wind farm consisting of nine towers with a total capacity of 18 megawatts stands near Lipina. Since the summer, an investor has been building five more turbines near Jívová, with a combined capacity of ten megawatts. Roteko Invest wants to build two new wind turbines near Potštát in the Přerov District. The Potštát town hall, the Czech environmental group Hnutí Duha, and local associations have opposed the construction.