ČEZ seeks to persuade Czech municipalities in the Svitavy region to approve wind farms

ČEZ Renewables is trying to persuade selected municipalities in the Svitavy region to approve the construction of wind farms within their boundaries. The turbines would provide additional revenue for their budgets, said Šárka Lapáčková Beránková, a ČEZ Group spokesperson for eastern Bohemia. A survey conducted in the villages last year found that residents mostly supported their possible construction.

„Among other things, we are offering municipalities a five-percent stake in a joint venture, the opportunity to help make decisions about the project and to oversee its development from the very beginning. At the same time, ČEZ bears all the business risk, so the project poses no risk of financial problems for the municipality,“ Lapáčková Beránková said.

The municipality’s returns would consist of a share of profits from electricity generation, a regular annual payment, a director’s fee and, where applicable, rent if the wind turbines were built on municipal land.

ČEZ Renewables wants to build 10 to 20 wind turbines in the Svitavy region. The company has identified municipal territories with suitable natural and technical conditions. They could be built near Dětřichov, Hradec nad Svitavou, Kamenná Horka, Koclířov, Opatov, Opatovec, Pohledy, Radiměř, Sklené, Svitavy and Vendolí. Councils in some municipalities, including Dětřichov, have already approved cooperation on the construction of the turbines, while others are holding surveys among residents, the results of which will inform council decisions.

Lapáčková Beránková said the company aims to build broader consensus across entire regions and does not want to put any pressure on municipalities. „The same applies in the Svitavy region, where wind turbines could be built, for example, in the wind corridor at the foot of the Hřebeč Ridge. We therefore expect that all municipalities could work together, including those whose territories would not host wind turbines directly,“ the spokesperson said. ČEZ representatives have visited more than 150 municipalities across Czechia to meet with local officials and have attended dozens of public hearings.

Other companies are also interested in building wind turbines in the Svitavy, Ústí nad Orlicí and Chrudim regions. In a referendum, residents of Krouna in the Chrudim region voted in favour of building a wind turbine within their municipality. The planned turbine would have a capacity of up to 6.5 megawatts. In return, PV Consulting offered to pay Krouna 1.95 million crowns a year into its municipal budget. The company also promised to provide residents with cheaper electricity, saving them an average of 11.600 crowns a year compared with their current bills. The offer is for 20 years. The referendum also produced a favourable result in Anenská Studánka in the Ústí nad Orlicí region, where NOHO Energy wants to generate wind power. This would bring long-term benefits to the municipality. Several turbines already stand near the village; they were built there 15 years ago by S&M CZ.