Prosecutor orders nationwide wind farm investigation

A nationwide preliminary inquiry into wind farm installations has been ordered by the supervising prosecutor of the Fire Service’s Directorate for Combating Arson Crimes, following consultation with the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court. The order, which became known on Tuesday 11 August, covers all units operating in the country and stems from the fire that began in Boeotia and spread into Western Attica.

The investigation focuses on two areas. The first concerns whether the units are operating without the required permits. The second concerns whether the technical specifications for installation, maintenance and operation are being observed, both for the turbines themselves and for the accompanying power transmission networks. A specific part of the preliminary inquiry will focus on wind farms where fire incidents have been recorded in the past.

The trigger was the finding that the fire in Boeotia started from the overhead power transmission network of a Boeotian wind farm. Three people are being held in custody in connection with this case: the mayor of Stylida, who built the network, the technical director of his company, and the owner of the farm. No liability has been attributed to them by any court ruling, as the process is at an early stage.

The overhead networks connecting energy production units to the central system frequently cross forested and semi-mountainous areas. The same issue arose in eastern Attica, where Monday 10 August’s fire in Kouvaras was attributed by the same service to sparks from loose low-voltage cables. The two cases are distinct from one another, but they highlight a common subject of scrutiny: the condition of the electricity networks.