Voltalia to appeal permit suspension for 99-MW Brazilian wind project

French renewable power producer Voltalia SA (EPA:VLTSA) will appeal a judicial preliminary decision to suspend permits enabling the construction of 99.4 MW of wind farms in the Brazilian state of Bahia.

The case concerns two projects combined under the Canudos scheme, Voltalia said on Wednesday.

According to a federal judge of Feira de Santana/BA Court, the state’s environmental agency has carried out a non-applicable procedure when awarding its permit to the scheme, given its location within a region populated by Lear's macaw, a Brazilian parrot species. Voltalia has been temporarily deprived of its permit and requested to conduct a new environmental study in addition to earlier ones.

Stating that it has fully complied with all needed environmental requirements, the French firm said it will appeal the ruling but is open to a dialogue to “clarify any doubts that may arise from authorities, communities, environmentalists and other stakeholders.”

The Canudos wind complex entered construction in February 2021.

The French firm noted it has already spent BRL 2 million (USD 394,000/EUR 359,600) on environmental conservation initiatives in Brazil and intends to invest BRL 10 million more over the next few years. Its installed wind portfolio in the country was close to 800 MW at end-2022.

(BRL 1.0 = 0.197/EUR 0.179)

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