The European Parliament has decided not to oppose a hydropower project on the Danube that could threaten protected areas (PAs) and the survival of critically endangered species, according to a group of environmental organisations.
EU lawmakers allowed the Turnu Magurele-Nikopol Hydraulic Structures Assembly (TMNHSA) project on the Romanian-Bulgarian border to be included in the bloc’s priority investment list by not voting against it, or requiring an extension of the scrutiny period, WWF and CEE Bankwatch Network said Friday.
“We are disappointed that the European Parliament missed the opportunity for scrutinising the project,” said Irene Lucius, WWF-CEE regional conservation director.
“Without proper assessment, the rushed approval of this project undermines the EU’s stated goals of biodiversity protection and climate resilience.”
Following the EU Commission’s decision to put the initiative on the List of Renewable Energy Cross-border Projects (CB RES) on July 24, the European Parliament had two months to reject it, or ask for an extension of the scrutiny period.
With the deadline now passed, the TMNHSA has become officially eligible for EU funding.
According to the EU Commission, the project focuses on environmental sustainability, while helping fill a gap in regional renewable electricity production and reduces fossil fuel consumption.
The proposed hydropower plants would have a total capacity of 840 MW.
THE PROJECT
Backed by the Bulgarian National Electricity Company (NEK) and Romania’s Hidroelectrica, the TMNHSA involves the construction of twin run-of-the-river hydropower plants on the Danube, connected to their respective national transmission grids.
Conservation organisations have long raised concerns over its potential impacts on fish species as well as natural habitats.
“The proposed project would create a barrier to the migration of sturgeons and other fish species, critically impacting their ability to reach spawning sites,” said WWF in a report.
As well, many natural habitats in the area would be submerged, which is set to radically alter the ecosystem, it added.
The construction area of the hydropower plant intersects with two PAs, while the broader scale of the project, involving river regulation works along larger sections of the Danube, could affect several Natura 2000 sites, according to WWF.
“The Commission must act swiftly to reverse this mistake,” said Andrey Ralev, biodiversity campaigner at CEE Bankwatch Network.
“As the EU faces a biodiversity and climate crisis, pursuing projects that exacerbate these challenges is irresponsible and short-sighted.”
The organisations argued that the TMNHSA initiative contradicts key EU environmental policies, including the Habitats Directive and the Nature Restoration Law (NRL).
Approved in June after a year-long legislative dispute, the NRL aims to restore at least 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers by 2030.
Freshwater biodiversity is the most threatened on Earth, facing an 83% decrease in the global population compared to 1970, according to WWF’s Living Planet Index.
In Europe, migratory fish species such as salmon, sturgeon, and eel, have declined by 93% since 1970, mainly due to high fragmentation and poor health conditions of the rivers.
By Sergio Colombo – sergio@carbon-pulse.com
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