Environmental Tribunal gives Go-Ahead for Styria Line
14.03.2007Wien
In his first statement, VERBUND General Director Dipl.-Ing. Hans Haider emphasized: "The first plans for the Styria line were drawn up 25 years ago. The decisions issued today by the environmental mark the formal end of the approval procedures. We shall now immediately commence with the implementation of the project to ensure that security of supply is maintained."
On 14 March 2007, the independent environment tribunal gave the go-ahead for the 380 kV Styria line and granted VERBUND-Austrian Power Grid AG (APG) and the project partners Stromnetz Steiermark GmbH and BEWAG Netz GmbH the approval to construct the urgently needed transmission line. Hence, the legal basis for the construction of the Styria line has now been established. The Managing Board of APG was pleased and relieved. The positive decisions (Burgenland and Styria) are of immense importance for the maintenance of security of supply in Austria. All parties should now focus on ensuring that the line is constructed as quickly as possible.
Appealing for constructive cooperation during the implementation of the project the APG Managing Board members Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Heinz Kaupa and Mag. Thomas Karall emphasize: "It is of special importance to us that all previous conflicts relating to the decision be defused."
The decision of the environmental senate also brings the most complicated approval process ever to take place in accordance with EIA law in Austria to a successful conclusion. The Styria line is one of the most closely examined infrastructure projects in the Second Republic. As a result of the conscientious and detail examinations, the interests of people, fauna and flora have been harmonized to the greatest extent possible. The APG Managing Board will closely examine the content of the decisions in the next days and the results, contents and next project steps will be explained in detail within the framework of two press conferences in Graz and Eisenstadt. The precise dates have yet to be disclosed.
VERBUND-Austrian Power Grid AG (APG), Austria's largest transmission grid operator, guarantees security of supply at a national level. It operates the largest supra-regional high and extra-high voltage grid in Austria and is responsible for the planning, management, maintenance and expansion of this grid. Approx. 50 % of the electricity that is consumed in Austria is transported via the APG grid which has a system length of over 6,500 km. APG is the independent grid company of VERBUND, Austria's largest electricity producer.
Appealing for constructive cooperation during the implementation of the project the APG Managing Board members Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Heinz Kaupa and Mag. Thomas Karall emphasize: "It is of special importance to us that all previous conflicts relating to the decision be defused."
The decision of the environmental senate also brings the most complicated approval process ever to take place in accordance with EIA law in Austria to a successful conclusion. The Styria line is one of the most closely examined infrastructure projects in the Second Republic. As a result of the conscientious and detail examinations, the interests of people, fauna and flora have been harmonized to the greatest extent possible. The APG Managing Board will closely examine the content of the decisions in the next days and the results, contents and next project steps will be explained in detail within the framework of two press conferences in Graz and Eisenstadt. The precise dates have yet to be disclosed.
VERBUND-Austrian Power Grid AG (APG), Austria's largest transmission grid operator, guarantees security of supply at a national level. It operates the largest supra-regional high and extra-high voltage grid in Austria and is responsible for the planning, management, maintenance and expansion of this grid. Approx. 50 % of the electricity that is consumed in Austria is transported via the APG grid which has a system length of over 6,500 km. APG is the independent grid company of VERBUND, Austria's largest electricity producer.