Environment Ministry suspends wind farm construction

Panama’s  Environment  Ministry(MiAmbiente) has  suspended  construction work of the Toabré wind farm in Coclé

.Minister Milciades Concepción said the stoppage was applied due to the breach, by the company, of commitments of the environmental management plan of the environmental impact study, The work stoppage became effective, Thursday, February 26 Concepción said that once the company corrects the breaches, the suspension measure can be lifted.

The project is in the hands of the Elecnor consortium, a company with the participation of Panamanian Resources Eolicos, 70%, and the Spanish Audax Renovables, 30%.

The company began construction work for the first phase of 66 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity of this wind farm, which has a total investment of approximately $ 177 million.

It will have the installation of 20 Vestas V117 model turbines with a maximum construction period of 22 months, including 66 MW, two substations and a 27 km power evacuation line, with an estimated production of 240 gigawatts per hour (GWH) .

The  Wind Farm was denounced last July by Nidia Álveo Barrio the lawyer representing an important group of landowners during the work meeting held by President Laurentino Cortizo, in Tambó, Coclé province.

The lawyer, denounced the affectation of 2,000 hectares that are allegedly being devastated for the creation of the wind farm.

The company has executed several projects, in Panama  including the construction of the Rafael Hernández Hospital, the Polyclinics of Chepo and Chitré, and the expansion of the transport capacity of the Mata de Nance-Veladero and Guasquitas-Veladero  powerline for the Etesa company .