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Corrispondenza a Radio Onda Rossa dalla manifestazione davanti a ENEL – 30 aprile 2012

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Call for an international campaign against ENEL’s energy model

ENEL is the largest Italian energy utility and second in Europe by installed capacity. In 1999 it underwent privatization, and it is now listed on the Stock Exchange and counts 1.2 million shareholders. It partially remains a public company since it is owned for the 31% by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, hence by the Italian citizens.

Nowadays Enel operates in the electricity and gas sectors in 40 countries. In 2009, following the final acquisition of the Spanish electric company Endesa, Enel inherited facilities and projects in many Latin American countries. Unfortunately, these projects are tied together by a common thread of a colonial legacy, which include anti-democratic national legislations and clearly deficient environmental evaluation systems, biased towards the corporate sector. This can be highlighted by the severity of their socio-environmental impacts and the harsh attitude of the company towards the involved communities. Also in Italy ENEL’s arrogance has manifested harshly towards the territories involved in its projects and the local population.

Despite the green image and the commitment to sustainability the Italian multinational company continues to declare through its promotional messages, the reality is quite different.

ENEL continues to build coal plants in spite of all the commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, meantime using a misleading terminology such as “clean coal”. This is made possible thanks to the so-called Kyoto Protocol’s flexible mechanisms, that allow companies to continue to pollute, assigning out-and-out emission permits in exchange for the construction of renewable energy facilities. But energy can be considered “green” only under specific conditions. Neither when it threatens to destroy pristine ecosystems as in the case of the HydroAysèn project in Chilean Patagonia and the foreseen projects in the Italian Alps, nor when it tramples on people’s rights, threatens local economies and restricts the access to water to farmers communities and indigenous communities in violation of ILO’s 169 Convention as it happens in Guatemala, Colombia and Chile. Energy cannot be considered as green or renewable, when its production causes aquifers to drain away and results in the emission of substances which may harm people’s health or expose the population to incalculable risks as in the case of Mount Amiata geothermal plant and nuclear power plants in Slovakia or Russia.

ENEL is therefore responsible for the promotion in Italy and the exportation abroad of an unsustainable and obsolete energy model, compounded by an authoritarian and disrespectful attitude towards local territories. A model based on a centralized production by means of large plants, imposed on local communities and clouded by financial compensation paid to accommodating municipalities or governments, often hidden behind corporate social responsibility policies which divide entire communities. A model fostering major building projects which thrive corruption, speculation, conflict of interest and produce greater profits at the expenses of the environment and local communities’ rights. A production model aiming not at improving citizens’ quality of life and ensuring their energy supply, but mostly at feeding the mining industry and an economy based on looting and unlimited exploitation of resources. A model that is inevitably creating environmental and social conflicts with local communities.

Worldwide, the main social and environmental conflicts with ENEL are unfolding in Chile and specially in Aysén Region in Patagonia, in the ancestral territories and sacred places in Panguipulli (Chile), in the indigenous municipality of San Juan Cotzal (Guatemala), in the area of El Quimbo, in the Department of Huila (Colombia), in Porto Romano (Albania), in Mohovce (Slovakia), in the Galati District (Romania), in Kaliningrad (Russia), and, in the Italian context,in Civitavecchia, on the Mount Amiata, on the Dolomites, in Porto Tolle, in Brindisi, Bastardo, in Fusina, in Genoa, in La Spezia. The response that the alliance between company and governments has reserved to the local communities who are fighting to defend their territories, often resulted in repression, violence and criminalization through special laws.

We urge for a different energy production, distribution and management model to be followed as well by a redefinition of the priorities, based upon the principle of energy democracy. We support a reticular, decentralized and efficient model based on renewable small-scale energy facilities, that brings production closer to consumption, therefore eliminating the need of invasive transmission lines, which provides for the effective participation of local communities in planning and decision-making processes and which will not damage people’s health and the environment.

For these reasons we are launching an international campaign that aims at:

  • denouncing and stopping an extractivist development model and an energetic model which is unsustainable and destructive for the environment which violates human rights and the right to participation of the involved communities
  • fostering an alternative energy model, focused on human rights, on the citizens’ healthcare and on the protection of the territories as common good
  • jointly supporting the struggles and demands of the local communities in Italy and abroad
  • promoting a global campaign which tightens communities, social movements and the associations involved in the different conflicts

 

The International Campaign intends to support a network at local, regional, national and international level putting in place communication, legal and mobilization strategies which emerge from grassroots social movements.

As a first appointment we met in Rome on the 29th of April in an international meeting gathering Italian committees and representatives of local communities and movements from Chile, Guatemala, Colombia, Albania, Romania and Russia. Today 30th of April, on the day of ENEL annual shareholders meeting, we are gathering in front of the company’s headquarter for a press conference to launch the international campaign:

 “STOP ENEL. For a new energy model”

To join the campaign contact: noenel-adesioni@autistici.org

Promoters:

Amig@s MST-Italia/Roma, Ass. di amicizia con il popolo Mapuche, Ass.  COLORE – Cittadini contro le mafie,  Ass. culturale Aktivamente, Ass. Il Cerchio, Ass. Italia-Nicaragua, Ass. Kiwani – Il risveglio, Associazione No.Di-INostri Diritti, Associazione Stelle Cadenti – artisti per la pace, A Sud, ATTAC Italia, Campagna di solidarietà con le Comunità Ixiles del Guatemala, Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale, Centro Comunicazione COMBONIFEM, Centro Missionario Giovanile dei Servi di Maria, Centro studi Juan Gerardi, CETRI-TIRES, CEVI – Centro di Volontariato Internazionale, CISV – Comunità Impegno Servizio Volontariato, Cittadini Liberi – Porto Tolle, Collettivo Lucciole per lanterne, Comitato 11 Ottobre, Comitato Carlos Fonseca, Comitato Italiano Amigos Sem Terra, Comitato Lametino Acqua pubblica, Comitato No Carbone – Rossano (CS), Comitato Provinciale Acqua Bene Comune di Reggio Emilia, Comune-info.net, Comitato SpeziaViaDalCarbone, Confederazione COBAS, Coordinamento trentino Acqua Bene Comune, D.A.D.A. (Dipartimento Autogestito Dell’Alternativa, ex-bar sede centrale Università Federico II), FabioNews, Forum Ambientalista, Forum Italiano dei Movimenti per l’Acqua, Il sud siamo noi, Legambiente Reggio Emilia, Movimento di Giurisprudenza (Movimento Studentesco Facoltà di Giurisprudenza Università Federico II Napoli), Movimento No Coke Alto Lazio, ONLUS Amici del Guatemala, Pax Christi Italia, Pontinia Ecologia e territorio, Progetto Sur Onlus, Punto pace Pax Christi Reggio Emilia, redazione www.latinoamerica-online.it, Reggae Circus di Adriano Bono, Retenergie, Selvas.org, Servizio Civile Internazionale, Solarecollettivo Onlus, Sos Geotermia Coordinamento dei Movimenti per l’Amiata, Spazio Sociale Occupato Ex-51, SUR – Società Umane Resistenti, WILPF Italia (Lega Internazionale di donne per la Pace e la Libertà), Yaku

CEE Bankwatch Network, Ecodefense (Russia), Asociación de afectados por el proyecto hidroeléctrico El Quimbo – ASOQUIMBO (Colombia), “Movimiento colombiano por la defensa de los territorios y afectados por represas RIOS VIVOS” (Colombia) ARIN (Romania), EDEN Center (Albania), Parlamento Mapuche de Koz Koz (Chile), El movimiento ciudadano Patagonia Unida y Patagonia Sin Represas – Organizaciones comunitarias “Defensores del espiritú de la Patagonia” Cochrane (Chile), “Defensores de la Cuenca del Murta” Bahia Murta (Chile), “Herederos de la Patagonia” Villa Cierro Castillo (Chile), Agrupacion comunitaria Rio Pascua Villa O’Higgins (Chile), Agrupacion comunitaria social y ambiental Chomke Caleta Tortel (Chile), Comunidades Ixiles de San Juan Cotzal, Chajul y Nebaj (Guatemala), Comunidades Q’eqchi de Copon Uspantan (Guatemala), Asociacion Tierra y Libertad para Arauco (Arcueil, Francia), Consejo de Juventudes Maya, Garifuna y Xinca (Guatemala), Comité Central Menonita (Guatemala – El Salvador), Colectivo Informativo Mapuexpress (Wallmapu, Pueblo Mapuche), Grupo de trabajo por derechos colectivos (Chile), Red de organizaciones sociales y ciudadanas de Temuco (Chile), ILSA – Instituto Latinomericano para una Sociedad y un derecho Alternativos, ACIN – Asociacion de Cabildos de Indigenas Norte del Cauca (Colombia), International Rivers, AFRICANDO (España)

Posted in English.


Llamado para una campaña internacional contra el modelo energetico de ENEL

ENEL es la más grande empresa eléctrica italiana y la segunda en Europa por capacidad instalada. En el 1999 fue privatizada y hoy es cotizada en la bolsa contando con 1.2 millones de accionistas. Una parte de la empresa sigue siendo pública ya que el 31% es propiedad del Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas, por lo tanto de los ciudadanos italianos.

Hoy en día ENEL opera en el sector de la energía eléctrica y del gas en 40 países. En el 2009 con la adquisición definitiva de la empresa eléctrica española ENDESA, Enel heredò las plantas y los proyectos en numerosos países de América Latina, proyectos acomunados por una evidente herencia colonial, que incluye legislaciones nacionales antidemocráticas y sistemas de evaluación ambiental claramente deficientes y sesgados hacia el sector corporativo, como demuestra la gravedad de los impactos socio-ambientales. La arrogancia de Enel se ha manifestado de manera brutal también en Italia, hacia los habitantes y los territorios que han sido involucrados por sus proyectos.

No obstante la imagen verde y de compromiso hacia la sustentabilidad que la transnacional italiana se apresura a comunicar a través de sus mensajes promocionales, la realidad es muy distinta. ENEL sigue construyendo centrales de carbón sin tomar en cuenta los compromisos de reducción de las emisiones de gases invernaderos, y utilizando de manera engañosa terminologías como “carbón limpio”. Esto se hace posible gracias a los llamados mecanismos flexibles del Protocolo de Kyoto que permiten a las empresas poder continuar con la contaminación, asignando verdaderos permisos de emisión en cambio de la construcción de plantas de energía renovables. Pero la energía se puede considerar verde solo bajo algunas condiciones. No se puede cuando amenaza destruir los ecosistemas incontaminados, como en el caso del proyecto HidroAysén en la Patagonia Chilena y de los proyectos previstos en los Alpes, ni cuando se pisotean los derechos, las economías locales y el acceso al agua de las comunidades campesinas y de las comunidades indígenas, como pasa en Guatemala y en Colombia en plena violación del Convenio 169 de la ILO. No se puede considerar energía verde esa energía que drena las faldas acuíferas, emite sustancias dañinas para la salud de los ciudadanos o los expone a riesgos incalculables como en el caso de la geotermia en el Amiata o del nuclear en Eslovaquia y en Rusia.

ENEL es por lo tanto responsable de promover en Italia y de exportar al extranjero un modelo energético insustentable y obsoleto, agravado por una actitud autoritaria e irrespetuosa de los territorios locales. Un modelo basado en la producción centralizada por medio de grandes plantas, impuestas a las comunidades locales y veladas por las compensaciones económicas otorgadas a las autoridades locales y a los gobiernos complacientes, a menudo disfrazadas de políticas de responsabilidad social empresarial que dividen enteras comunidades. Es sobretodo en los grande sitios de construcción que se anidan la corrupción, la especulación, el conflicto de intereses y se realizan las mayores ganancias, a expensas del medio ambiente y de los derechos de las comunidades. Un modelo de producción cuya finalidad no es la de mejorar la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos y garantizar su abastecimiento energético, sino alimentar la industria extractiva y una economía fundada sobre el saqueo y la explotación ilimitada de los recursos. Un modelo que está generando de manera inevitable conflictos ambientales y sociales con las comunidades locales.

Actualmente los principales conflictos a nivel internacional se están desarrollando en Chile, en particular en la región de Aysén en Patagonia y en el territorio ancestral y en los sitios sagrados Mapuche de Panguipulli (Chile), en la Municipalidad indígena de San Juan Cotzal (Guatemala), en la zona de El Quimbo, Departamento de Huila (Colombia), en Porto Romano (Albania), en Mohovce (Eslovaquia), en el Distrito de Galati (Rumania), en Kaliningrad (Rusia). En Italia, en Civitavecchia, en Monte Amiata, en las Dolomitas, n Porto Tolle, Brindisi, Bastardo, Fusina, Génova y La Spezia.

Muy a menudo la respuesta que la alianza entre empresa y gobiernos ha reservado a las comunidades locales que luchan para defender su territorio, ha sido la represión, la violencia y la criminalización a través de leyes especiales.

Nosotros queremos otro modelo de producción, distribución y gestión de la energía y de definición de prioridades. Un modelo reticular, de-centralizado y eficiente basado en plantas de energía renovable de pequeña escala, que acerquen la generación de energía al consumo, eliminando la necesidad de enormes líneas de transmisión, que prevea la efectiva participación de las comunidades locales en los procesos de toma de decisión, de planificación y gestión y que no perjudique la salud de las personas y el medio ambiente.

Por estas razones nos activamos con una campaña internacional para que:

  • Denuncie y detenga un modelo de desarrollo extractivista y un modelo energético concomitante que es insustentable y destructivo del medio ambiente y que viola los derechos humanos y el derecho a la participación de las comunidades impactadas.
  • Promueva un modelo energético alternativo que coloque al centro los derechos humanos, la defensa de la salud de los ciudadanos y la defensa del territorio como bien común.
  • Apoye unitariamente las reivindicaciones de las comunidades locales en Italia y a nivel internacional.
  • Genere una campaña global que ponga en red las comunidades locales, los movimientos sociales y las asociaciones involucradas en los distintos conflictos.

Esta campaña quiere respaldar una red que se coordine a nivel local, regional, nacional e internacional adoptando estrategias comunicativas, legales y de movilización que surjan de las demandas de los movimientos sociales de base.

Nos reunimos por primera vez en Roma el 29 de abril en una asamblea internacional a la cual participaron además de los comités italianos, los representantes de las comunidades y movimientos locales de Chile, Guatemala, Colombia, Albania, Romania, Rusia.

Hoy, dìa 30 de Abril, el día de la junta de accionistas, estamos en frente de ENEL para una conferencia de prensa de presentación de la campaña internacional:

DETENGAMOS ENEL. Para un nuevo modelo energético

Para las próximas citas, la red pretende apoyar las movilizaciones locales a partir de las que son previstas en Colombia para el próximo 19 de junio y 20 de julio.

Para adherir a la campaña escribe a: noenel-adesioni@autistici.org

Signatarios:

Amig@s MST-Italia/Roma, Ass. di amicizia con il popolo Mapuche, Ass.  COLORE – Cittadini contro le mafie,  Ass. culturale Aktivamente, Ass. Il Cerchio, Ass. Italia-Nicaragua, Ass. Kiwani – Il risveglio, Associazione No.Di-INostri Diritti, Associazione Stelle Cadenti – artisti per la pace, A Sud, ATTAC Italia, Campagna di solidarietà con le Comunità Ixiles del Guatemala, Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale, Centro Comunicazione COMBONIFEM, Centro Missionario Giovanile dei Servi di Maria, Centro studi Juan Gerardi, CETRI-TIRES, CEVI – Centro di Volontariato Internazionale, CISV – Comunità Impegno Servizio Volontariato, Cittadini Liberi – Porto Tolle, Collettivo Lucciole per lanterne, Comitato 11 Ottobre, Comitato Carlos Fonseca, Comitato Italiano Amigos Sem Terra, Comitato Lametino Acqua pubblica, Comitato No Carbone – Rossano (CS), Comitato Provinciale Acqua Bene Comune di Reggio Emilia, Comune-info.net, Comitato SpeziaViaDalCarbone, Confederazione COBAS, Coordinamento trentino Acqua Bene Comune, D.A.D.A. (Dipartimento Autogestito Dell’Alternativa, ex-bar sede centrale Università Federico II), FabioNews, Forum Ambientalista, Forum Italiano dei Movimenti per l’Acqua, Il sud siamo noi, Legambiente Reggio Emilia, Movimento di Giurisprudenza (Movimento Studentesco Facoltà di Giurisprudenza Università Federico II Napoli), Movimento No Coke Alto Lazio, ONLUS Amici del Guatemala, Pax Christi Italia, Pontinia Ecologia e territorio, Progetto Sur Onlus, Punto pace Pax Christi Reggio Emilia, redazione www.latinoamerica-online.it, Reggae Circus di Adriano Bono, Retenergie, Selvas.org, Servizio Civile Internazionale, Solarecollettivo Onlus, Sos Geotermia Coordinamento dei Movimenti per l’Amiata, Spazio Sociale Occupato Ex-51, SUR – Società Umane Resistenti, WILPF Italia (Lega Internazionale di donne per la Pace e la Libertà), Yaku

CEE Bankwatch Network, Ecodefense (Rusia), Asociación de afectados por el proyecto hidroeléctrico El Quimbo – ASOQUIMBO (Colombia), “Movimiento colombiano por la defensa de los territorios y afectados por represas RIOS VIVOS” (Colombia), ARIN (Rumania), EDEN Center (Albania), Parlamento Mapuche de Koz Koz (Chile), El movimiento ciudadano Patagonia Unida y Patagonia Sin Represas – Organizaciones comunitarias “Defensores del espiritú de la Patagonia” Cochrane (Chile), “Defensores de la Cuenca del Murta” Bahia Murta (Chile), “Herederos de la Patagonia” Villa Cierro Castillo (Chile), Agrupacion comunitaria Rio Pascua Villa O’Higgins (Chile), Agrupacion comunitaria social y ambiental Chomke Caleta Tortel (Chile), Comunidades Ixiles de San Juan Cotzal, Chajul y Nebaj (Guatemala), Comunidades Q’eqchi de Copon Uspantan (Guatemala), Asociacion Tierra y Libertad para Arauco (Arcueil, Francia), Consejo de Juventudes Maya, Garifuna y Xinca (Guatemala), Comité Central Menonita (Guatemala – El Salvador), Colectivo Informativo Mapuexpress (Wallmapu, Pueblo Mapuche), Grupo de trabajo por derechos colectivos (Chile), Red de organizaciones sociales y ciudadanas de Temuco (Chile), ILSA – Instituto Latinomericano para una Sociedad y un derecho Alternativos, ACIN – Asociacion de Cabildos de Indigenas Norte del Cauca (Colombia), International Rivers, AFRICANDO (España)

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ENEL, un modello energetico dannoso e incurante delle comunità locali

Azione davanti alla sede di ENEL - 30 aprile 2012 (foto Lucciole per Lanterne)

Azione davanti alla sede di ENEL - 30 aprile 2012 (foto Lucciole per Lanterne)

Roma, 30 aprile 2012
Una enorme diga gonfiabile e una folta delegazione di rappresentanti di comunità italiane e straniere impattate dai progetti dell’Enel hanno accolto oggi gli azionisti della compagnia giunti presso la sede di Viale Regina Margherita, a Roma, per il loro incontro annuale.

L’assemblea degli azionisti della principale azienda energetica del nostro Paese è inoltre coincisa con il lancio della campagna “Stop Enel, per un nuovo modello energetico”, a cui hanno già aderito oltre sessanta realtà italiane e internazionali. Due rappresentanti delle campagne italiane e internazionali hanno poi preso la parola durante l’assemblea per portare a conoscenza degli azionisti tutti i conflitti socio-ambientali attualmente esistenti al mondo causati da progetti targati Enel, direttamente o tramite le sue controllate.

Oggi l’Enel, per il 31 per cento ancora di proprietà statale, è attiva nel settore dell’energia elettrica e del gas in 40 Paesi. Con l’acquisizione della spagnola Endesa nel 2009, ha ereditato diversi impianti e progetti in varie località dell’America Latina. Per esempio in Cile, in Guatemala e in Colombia, Paesi da cui sono arrivati esponenti delle comunità locali per chiedere uno stop alle opere in fase di realizzazione, come le dighe nella Patagonia cilena e nei territori mapuche, e delle giuste compensazioni per quelle già in fase di completamento come El Quimbo (Colombia) e Palo Viejo (Guatemala).

Ma l’Enel è sinonimo anche di carbone, sia all’interno del nostro territorio nazionale che in Europa dell’Est. Sono anni che i No Coke di Civitavecchia e Porto Tolle denunciano gli impatti possibili e quelli già riscontrati delle centrali attive o in fase di riconversione. Ma anche a Porto Romano (Albania) e Galati (Romania) i pericoli di un modello energetico fallimentare e che non fa che esacerbare i cambiamenti climatici sono ben conosciuti e sbandierati dalle comunità locali.

Per far giustificare lo sfruttamento del carbone, l’Enel impiega in maniera ingannevole terminologie come “carbone pulito” e sfrutta al meglio i cosiddetti meccanismi flessibili del Protocollo di Kyoto, che consentono alle imprese di continuare ad inquinare, assegnando veri e propri permessi di emissione in cambio della costruzione di impianti di energie rinnovabili. Anche gli impianti geotermici hanno suscitato molto proteste, come evidenziano gli esponenti di SOS Geotermia Monte Amiata.

La neonata campagna ritiene che “l’Enel è pertanto responsabile di promuovere in Italia ed esportare all’estero un modello energetico insostenibile e obsoleto, basato su una produzione centralizzata per mezzo di grandi impianti, imposti alle comunità locali e velati da compensazioni economiche elargite ai comuni o ai governi compiacenti. Operando in questo modo non si migliora la qualità della vita dei cittadini, ma si incentiva l’industria estrattiva e un’economia basata sullo sfruttamento illimitato delle risorse”

Le foto delle proteste davanti a ENEL:

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Coal power plant in Galati, Romania

Specifications and location: The plant would burn imported coal from Ukraine to produce up to 800 megawatts of energy. The coal would be transported by ship on the Danube and would reach the “tax free zone” of Galati, in the extreme eastern foothills of Romania, near the border with Ukraine and Moldova. Working in that area, Enel will then have the opportunity to enjoy significant tax advantages.

Environmental and economic impacts

The plant is expected to be built a few kilometers away from the Natura 2000 nature reserve, which holds the status of national park and community site. Moreover the city of Galati is already experiencing very high level of cases of children with asthma, because of high levels of pollution caused by decades of activities of Sidex, the steel plant operated by the indian company Mittal Arcerol. One problem that the coal plant would only exacerbate.

The issue of environmental permit process

Enel submitted a first request for an environmental permit in May 2009. Since the project will have impacts across borders, the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities have now announced their intention to organize public debates on the issue.
At first, any permission was supposed to be subject to approval by the association of local fishermen, who opposed it from the very  first moment. This “clause” in fact was soon lapsed when local authorities in July 2011 granted the change of the intended use of the area from “destined to offices and other activities” to “area for industrial purposes,” thus providing possibility to set up a power plant as the one proposed by ENEL.

In November of 2011 in Romania it was also held a public consultation which was attended by representatives of the authorities and civil society. The Scientific Council of the Reserve Nature 2000, which counts among its members representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Romanian Academy, and several universities, has expressed his aversion to the implementation of the project.

Last February, Enel submitted its study on the environmental impacts and is currently awaiting for a formal response.

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Nuclear Power Plant in Kaliningrad – Russia

On 26th of April 2010 ENEL’s CEO Fulvio Conti has signed with the President of INTER RAO UES Boris Y. Kovalchuk a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation that foresee, among other things, the joint development of a project for the construction of new

Nuclear power plant in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea.

The MoU foresee large cooperation in building new plants and technological innovation, energy efficiency and distribution in Russia and the countries of Eastern Europe.

The future nuclear power plant in Kaliningrad (the first private-public partnership in the nuclear sector in Russia) will consist of two units of 1,117 MW each, it will employ the so-called third generation VVER 1200 technology, and it is expected to enter into operation between 2016 and 2018, with a significant proportion of the electricity to be exported to the nearby European markets.

But this project has already received sharp criticism because of poor and incomplete documentation. Very unclear information were provided on how to manage waste arising from the plant, on the dismantling of the reactors, on the possible risks associated with major accidents, or of the population own evacuation strategies in case of accidents.

Even the chosen location has raised enormous doubts, since the groundwater in the area are not deep enough to ensure the safety of the plant and to exclude the risk of contamination of groundwater. Another concern is aroused by the fact that the future nuclear power plant would be built in an area of ​​major international air traffic, but its reactors are not designed to withstand a large impact in case of aircraft accidents.

The Russian environmental organization Ecodefense has promoted, with others, ​​a survey of local residents. The result is that 67% of the population is opposed to the project, considering it unnecessary, damaging and financially risky.

But in the early months of 2010, bulldozers began digging. This although Rosatom, the Russian giant state utility for nuclear energy, with its subsidiary Inter RAO UES, responsible for energy export policies and for the relations with foreign investors, is still seeking foreign financing to complete the financial plan. A critical step, since the work is currently covered by the national budget for only 50%. Despite trumpeted statements to the local press, no agreement was formally signed for foreign investments on the plant, nor for the sale of the produced energy, which, according to the programs of Inter Rao, should go to Germany, Sweden, Lithuania and Poland. The deal does not seem beneficial for any european utility. None except ENEL, which confirmed its interest by signing the agreement on the occasion of the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy.

ENEL could thus become the first foreign company involved in building a nuclear power plant in Russia.

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SOS Monte Amiata Geothermal – Mount Amiata, Tuscany, Italy

Name of the conflict: SOS Monte Amiata Geothermal
Where:Mount Amiata, Tuscany, Italy
Actors: Enel Green Power manages the geothermal plants currently in operation in the municipalities of Piancastagnaio,  Siena(4 plants from 68 MW) and Santa Fiora, on the side of  Grosseto of the mountain (1 center from 20 MW). It is currently under assessment, at regional level,  the expansion of the existing plants and the construction of new plants. Citizens of the area gathered together the  24th of March 2012 in a public assembly, and have created the network “Coordination of Movements for Amiata – SOS Geothermal ), which brings together those opposing the destruction of the territory of Amiata,  which still remains largely uncontaminated. The Manifesto of Sos-Geothermal Committee, just published, has already raised the membership of dozens of local and national committees and associations including the Itaian Forum of water movements.

What is happening:
In order to support the profit making and the speculation, ENEL in alliance with the regional government, is making a very serious environmental destruction. This destruction is perpetrated by promoting  the false belief that geothermal is a renewable and clean source of energy. In reality the cleanness strictly depends on the  hydro-geochemistry  composition of the geothermal ground.

In the case of Amiata is exactly the opposite: the geothermal plants polluteand consume much  more water  than  the natural recharge quantity.  In addition to the water pollution the plants  emit vapors into the atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide, mercury, arsenic, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and other pollutants causing serious damage to the environment and health of inhabitants. It  is currently under discussion a  further expansion of the number of plants  and their installed capacity. This would mean a real ecological and democratic disaster. The Tuscany regional government supports the project for mere economic reasons. ENEL receives an enormous gain generated by the mechanism of green certificates, subsidies and public funding, and distributes to the regional authority and the municipalities a huge amount of money as environmental compensation.  Self-organized  committees of citizens who are trying to stop this environmental disaster, without the official support of any political party.

Danger to the population:The  epidemiological study of Monasterio Foundation in Pisa titled   “Geothermal Project”, in the section  related to health information  acknowledgedthe increase of serious pathology  and mortality in some  geothermal areas in relation to increasing concentrations of the pollutants emitted by power plants . In the town of Amiata the average of mortality is 13% higher than everywhere else in Tuscany and closer towns having the same lifestyle.

Environmental hazards: In addition to pollution on the surface, there is the problem of the depletion and pollution of the mountain aquifer, one of the richest in Italy, which supplies water to about 700,000 citizens in the provinces of Grosseto, Siena and Viterbo.  The phenomenon is due to the connections, via faults and fractures, betweenthe drinking groundwater and the  water of the geothermal field. Each time that the extracted steam flow rate increases the deep depression increases as well,  pulling up the water in the superficial shallow. The result is that the the capacity of the water source decrease.  Moreover the concentration of dissolved  and accumulated heavy metals increase.  The reduction of the aquifer is estimated at several hundred billion liters, corresponding to the consumption of drinking water for the world population  for more than a month.
Possible solutions:To stop  the construction of new power plants and call for a moratorium for the existing plants. Only after this first step it will be possible to re- think a new development model for the territory able to give values to the ​​social, cultural and environmental factors of the region.
Contacts: Sos-geotermia@bruttocarattere.org; http://sosgeotermia.noblogs.org; https://www.facebook.com/sos.geotermia

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Lake Neltume – Panguipulli, Region de Los Rios, Chile

Name of the conflict: Lake Neltume

Where: Panguipulli, Region de Los Rios, Chile

Actors: The indigenous Mapuche communities of Panguipulli have been struggling for years to avoid that the landscape near lake Neltume and Choshuenco and the river Fuy is forever impacted by a mega-hydroelectric project. The construction company in charge of the work would be the Norwegian SN / Power, in consortium with Endesa Chile / Enel.

What is happening: At least six hydroelectric projects signed by Enel / Endesa and the Norwegian Power Sn, are threatening not only a still uncontaminated environment, but also the survival of more than 150 Mapuche communities that have been inhabiting these territories for more than five hundred years. The Region of the Rivers is crucial for the Chilean energy program, and the City of Panguipulli, inhabited by about 35,000 people, may  experience the concentration of about the 10% of the country’s hydroelectric capacity. An old ENEL dam became operational in 1962 and Enel seems to be still paying aridiculous annual royalty to Panguipulli Municipality. In more than 50 years the impacted communities have never received any compensation, although they have lost more than 300 hectares of land. Endesa is about to begin the construction of a new plant which, if implemented, would result in raising the level of Neltume lake which would submerge agricultural land and also the pampas sagrada, a sacred place of worship for the communities of the area.  The ENEL-ENDESA project is made of three separate components: the canalization tunnel, the generation component – i.e. the power plant itself, and the transmission line: the first, the construction of the tunnel, was authorized without consulting the local communities. The procedures of environmental impact assessment for the other two components are currently in progress. The mega-project violates Articles 2 and 7 of the ILO Convention on indigenous peoples and the community Inalafken, the Koz Koz parliament and the regional indigenous Mapuche organization Meli wixan Mapu claim the right to self-determination of their natural resources, including water. Furthermore, the company is manipulating the population, providing jobs and economic aid in exchange for consent to the project.

Dangers for the population: The environmental damages inherent to the construction of these plants, are associated with devastating consequences on the socio-economic level, such as the deterioration of traditional social system based on trust and stability and a crumbling of the links within the different communities. The dam would also render virtually impossible to develop crafts, farming and sustainable tourism projects that local communities would like to undertake.

Environmental hazards: Panguipulli is a world biosphere reserve and the impact of the project on the territory of the lake Neltume and Choshuenco and river Fuy, it is an intact ecosystem which would undergo irreparable consequences.

Possible solutions: To produce the necessary energy to the territory of Panguipulli is essential to maximize the existing plants. Indigenous communities claim their right to self-determination of their natural resources and the right to control institutions, territories, social structures, without any outside interference or domination.

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Porto Romano – Durres (Albania)

Nome del conflitto: Porto Romano

Dove sta avvenendo: Durres, Albania

Cosa sta accadendo: nel mese di dicembre del 2007 con un “memorandum of understanding” (MoU) siglato fra il Ministero dell’Economia, del Commercio e dell’Energia albanese e l’ad di ENEL Fulvio Conti veniva definita la partecipazione dell’azienda italiana al piano di sviluppo del settore energetico albanese. Stando ai termini del MoU, ENEL si impegnava nella realizzazione di una centrale a carbone sul territorio albanese e di una rete di trasmissione sottomarina verso l’Italia. Nel mese di maggio del 2008 veniva rilasciata dalla compagnia di consulenza  Landell Mills una valutazione degli impatti ambientali (VIA)  per il distretto industriale di Durres che prendeva in esame diversi scenari per gli impianti da realizzare (sottointendendo come uno specifico impianto non fosse stato ancora preso in esame). Sorprendentemente, solo un mese dopo la pubblicazione della VIA, l’ENEL annunciava il suo progetto per una centrale termoelettrica a carbone in Albania. A settembre dello stesso anno il progetto veniva inserito in uno studio di valutazione tecnica governativo per il complesso energetico di Porto Romano. Poco dopo Enel organizzava una consultazione pubblica nel villaggio di Katund i Ri situato nella zona limitrofa all’area di Porto Romano, nella provincia di Durres. Secondo il progetto della compagnia italiana la centrale a carbone consisterebbe in due unità ultra-supercritiche alimentate a carbone da 800 MW, accompagnata dalla costruzione di un molo per l’approvvigionamento di carbone (sudafricano) via mare, di una rete di trasmissione sottomarina di collegamento con l’Italia e di un allaccio alle sottostazioni di Tirana.

Pur in assenza di delibere e provvedimenti attuativi da parte dell’esecutivo sul progetto, il Governo albanese ha già indicato il proprio sostegno alla realizzazione di un collegamento ferroviario fra il parco energetico e la rete ferroviaria nazionale. Il progetto ha ricevuto una forte opposizione da parte di gruppi ambientalisti albanesi e delle comunità locali. Ekolevizja, una rete di realtà ambientaliste albanesi, evidenziato come le consultazioni pubbliche sulla nuova centrale termoelettrica si siano tenute nel solo villaggio di Katundi i Ri. Conseguentemente il Ministero dell’Ambiente albanese ha esteso le consultazioni all’intera area di Durres e alle comunità di Manze, Sukht e Ishem.

La maggior parte delle persone coinvolte negli incontri pubblici ha manifestato la propria contrarietà al progetto per la sua eccessiva dimensione, per l’uso di carbone come combustibile e per l’inadeguatezza del sito. Un’analisi indipendente commissionata da Ekolevizja ha rilevato almeno 25 omissioni e manchevolezze nella VIA ufficiale: scarsa considerazione per gli scenari energetici alternativi al ricorso al carbone, analisi inadeguata delle emissioni di diossido di carbone, totale assenza di un’analisi degli impatti socio-economici del progetto e di un piano di monitoraggio.

La perizia indipendente e l’opposizione delle comunità locali hanno spinto la Municipalità di Durres a schierarsi ufficialmente contro il progetto nell’Aprile del 2009.

Pericoli per la popolazione e per l’ambiente: l’area di Porto Romano, utilizzata sin dall’epoca dei governi comunisti come area di stoccaggio di materiali e scarti chimici di produzione è stata inserita dall’Environment Programme delle Nazioni Unite tra i cinque siti più inquinati dell’Albania. La stessa VIA commissionata dall’ENEL evidenzia come già attualmente l’inquinamento atmosferico dell’area di Durres superi di gran lunga gli standard nazionali. Un livello solo peggiorabile dalla realizzazione di una nuova centrale. La costruzione dell’impianto rappresenta dunque una serie minaccia per la salute delle comunità locali (si pensi all’erosione del carbone e calcare dismesso stoccato in pile da 220mila tonnellate all’aria aperta con dubbia dismissione via mare e al rischio di penetrazione di polveri inquinanti nelle falde sotterranee), mette a rischio la sopravvivenza di ecosistemi costieri e del complesso archeologico – monumentale ellenistico e romano nell’area limitrofa al sito individuato.

Possibili soluzioni: la centrale di Porto Romano non è stata ancora realizzata e vanno intrapresi tutti gli sforzi (pressione politica e sensibilizzazione a livello nazionale e internazionale) per far venire meno il sostegno del governo albanese al progetto, ribadendo la necessità che venga prestata maggiore attenzione all’efficienza energetica e al ricorso a un modello di sviluppo energetico sostenibile che consideri come prioritarie le fonti rinnovabili e osservando come al fine di soddisfare la domanda energetica nazionale non si debbano inseguire investitori internazionali troppo spesso interessati all’esportazione dell’energia prodotta verso nazioni in cui la produzione non potrebbe essere profittevolmente avviata per il superamento delle quote di emissione fissate dal protocollo di Kyoto.

Posted in Schede conflitti.

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2 maggio – incontro a Napoli: Il caso del Cile: acqua privatizzata, megaprogetti idroelettrici, ecosistemi e comunità locali a rischio

stop enel Napoli - Locandina

stop enel Napoli - Locandina incontro

nell’ambito della campagna nazionale contro il modello energetico dell’ENEL,

SCI Napoli organizza:

STOP ENEL – PER UN NUOVO MODELLO ENERGETICO

i rappresentanti delle comunità impattate dai progetti ENEL in America Latina arrivano in italia per far sentire le loro ragioni

 Il caso del Cile: acqua privatizzata, megaprogetti idroelettrici, ecosistemi e comunità locali a rischio

 interverranno:

Victor Formantel Gallardo – Movimento Sociale dell’Aysèn (progetto Hydroaysen per la costruzione di cinque dighe nella Patagonia cilena)

Jorge Eladio Hueche Catriqui–  comunità indigena Mapuche di Panguipulli

mercoledì 2 maggio, ore 18,30 c/o Mani Tese, Piazza Cavour, Napoli (Metro Cavour)

x info e contatti: napoli@sci-italia.it, 3336907580

www.sci-italia.it

stopenel.noblogs.org

Posted in Iniziative.