Delignitization: One step forward, two steps back

With a long delay, the tender was finally announced yesterday for one of the Special Town Zoning Plans that must be drawn up for the cores of the delignitization zones in Western Macedonia and Megalopolis. In particular, PPC published the call for studies for the Ptolemaida zoning plan, a project with a budget of 400,000 euros. Interested parties have until the 25th of October to submit their bids.

The zoning plan for the Delignitization Zones of both Western Macedonia and Megalopolis are drawn up for the spatial organization and development of the areas (PPC lignite strip mines in Kozani, Florina and Megalopolis), which may function as recipients of plans, projects and programs that are of a supra-local scale or of strategic importance. Thus, special regulation of land uses and their development conditions (i.e. building conditions and restrictions) is required in order to accommodate the planned investments. In parallel with the main study in the Special Town Planning Plans, the Strategic Environmental Impact Study (SEIS), the Geological Survey, depending on the requirements of each study area, and the Hydraulic Study for the temporary demarcation of any watercourses within the zoning plans for the delignitization areas are prepared.

Many companies have already expressed interest in the areas under delignitization for the creation of a battery production plant, innovation zones, agri-food units, etc. In any case, the lands before being handed over to investors should be rehabilitated. It is noteworthy that their total surface area has now shrunk from the 16,400 hectares that was initially announced to be contributed by PPC to the Hellenic Company of Just Development Transition (under the distinctive title “Transition S.A.”), which has been established and operates under the Ministry of Development, finally, thanks to the energy crisis, around 10,000 hectaes will be transferred.

According to information, the approximately 60,000 acres that are left out also include some lignite fields which may prove useful to PPC, given that lignite has returned to government planning in order to cover part of the energy deficit that will arise in the event of a disturbance in gas imports . However, executives of the company speaking to the “Economic Post” report that the reason that the land that PPC will contribute to “Metavasi SA” was limited. it is because the State finally concluded that there is less usable land for investment (eg some falls under forestry legislation).

In fact, as the same source explains,  lands will be handed over gradually by the PPC, as they will first have to be rehabilitated first. Thus, in the first phase, the company will contribute to “Metavasi S.A.” about 1000 hectares that had never been used so they do not need restoration.