The Ugar in Bosnia-Herzegovina was a pristine mountain river where large Huchen spawned every spring. Now, two Kelag power plants drain most of the water and the Huchen are gone. © Amel Emric

The devastating business of the Kelag in the Balkans

Dec 03, 2020 /

The Austrian Kelag likes to present itself as a modern company with the highest environmental and social standards. However, reality paints a quite different picture: the Kelag is a problematic company in the Balkans. For years, environmental organizations and local residents have been protesting against its hydropower projects and the behavior of its employees, especially in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Balkanrivers
© Seppo Leinonen

NGOs call on the EU to end support for new hydropower

Oct 27, 2020 /

Rivers in the EU are saturated with hydropower, leaving only 40% in good ecological condition. Migratory fish populations have declined by 93% in Europe since the 1970s. Nevertheless over 5500 new hydropower projects are planned to clog our last intact river stretches for a negligible energy yield.  150 NGOs are now calling on the EU institutions to end public financing for new hydropower projects in Europe.

General
This is what "clean" energy of the Kelag looks like: the destroyed river Lumbardhi in the National Park. © Shpresa Loshaj

Austrian Kelag forced to take three hydropower plants in Kosovo off the power grid

Oct 15, 2020 /

In Kosovo, Kelag had to take the three hydropower plants Deçani, Belaja, Lumbardhi II, operated by its subsidiary KELKOS, from the grid! All three plants are located inside a national park. Kelag put these power plants in operation years ago. However, since they still failed to fulfilled the environmental requirements for construction and operation despite numerous requests, they had to take the three power plants off the grid at 00:00 the night before yesterday.

Balkanrivers
Vjosa be free © Oblak Aljaz

BREAKING NEWS: Albanian PM Rama reacts – Kalivaç will not be built

Sep 25, 2020 /

In a reaction to the statement of Albanian President Ilir Meta, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced to the media today that he also is in favor of establishing a Vjosa National Park and that the Kalivaç dam has been rejected by the Minister for Environment. We highly welcome todays statement of Albania's PM Edi Ramas, that the Vjosa river will be saved and the Kalivaç dam will not be build. This is the right time to start a dialogue about the future of the Vjosa.

General

Alliance against Kalivaç dam on the Vjosa is growing

Sep 25, 2020 /

++ Vjosa Research Centre in Tepelena inaugurated ++ Scientists refute Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on Kalivaç hydropower plant ++ Albanian President speaks out in favour of Vjosa National Park ++ IUCN promises support ++ Today, the President of Albania, Ilir Meta, together with representatives of the Universities of Tirana and Vienna and the Mayor of Tepelena Tërmet Peçi, inaugurated the Vjosa Research Center

Balkanrivers
This is what destructive hydropower looks like. Below the dam, the river is reduced to a trickle, here at the Ugar river in Bosnia and Herzegovina © Amel Emric

Energy Community tightens policy guidelines on small hydropower projects and opens procedures against Albania

Sep 24, 2020 /

In response to growing public opposition against destructive small hydropower in the region and an increasing number of complaints to the Energy Community Secretariat the Energy Community Secretariat has now published special policy guidelines on small hydropower projects. Furthermore, the Energy Community Secretariat has officially opened a dispute settlement procedure against Albania.

Balkanrivers

Civil disobedience: Activists remove pipes of illegal hydropower plant in Serbia!

Aug 17, 2020 /

On Saturday, August 15th, hundreds of people from all over Serbia came to the village of Rakita with spades and mattocks to destroy illegal pipes of the Zvonce hydropower plant in their beloved Rakitska river. The investor laid the pipes illegally, but authorities didn’t act, so the people took matters into their own hands: “If the State is not doing its job and respecting the rule of law, we will do it for them!” was the motto of the action.

Balkanrivers
Hydropower plants, especially small hydro, are one of the main causes for the increasingly long Red Lists of fishes. If the expansion is not stopped, 186 fish species in the rivers of the Mediterranean region will be pushed further towards extinction. © Amel Emric

Fishes in Mediterranean region endangered due to hydropower boom

Jul 08, 2020 /

Hydropower plants are one of the main causes for the decline of numerous fish species in the Mediterranean region. This is the result of a new study. In total, 251 endangered freshwater fish species along with their stock situation in rivers in the Mediterranean basin were recorded. The impact of existing and planned hydropower plants on these populations was also evaluated.

Balkanrivers

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