Chasseral: Secret contracts between wind energy promoter and municipalities
A new scandal in the Bernese Jura is a textbook example of how wind energy promoters in Switzerland use unfair methods to try to influence public opinion in favour of wind power.
After more than 13 years, under pressure from the Mont Sujet Libre association, the strictly confidential contracts between the Fribourg energy company Groupe E and the municipalities on the Bernese Plateau de Diesse have been made public.
For 13 years, the Bernese Jurassic municipality of Plateau de Diesse at the Chasseral has been obliged to make a wind farm palatable to its population — and in return it receives money from the Fribourg energy company «Groupe E».
It can be assumed that secret agreements between energy companies and municipal councils have been concluded in numerous other municipalities across Switzerland: money in exchange for drumming up support for wind energy. The citizens of our country are thus being misled.
The Mont Sujet Libre association is a member of the cantonal federation Freie Landschaft Bern-Jura-Neuenburg. It takes a critical stance towards the wind farm on Mont Sujet (in German: Spitzberg), the exposed first Jura ridge between the Chasseral and Lake Biel. For a long time, the canton of Bern did not want a wind farm on Mont Sujet. Surprisingly, and following a distorted weighing of interests by the cantonal Directorate of the Interior and Justice (DIJ), the canton nonetheless included the wind farm in its structural plan by decree of State Councillor Evi Allemann. Thanks to the transparency law, the association was able to obtain access to these highly sensitive documents. More onEnvironment and Nature Conservation.
Now it has emerged: everything was fabricated by the wind energy promoter. The former municipalities of Lamboing and Diesse signed a strictly confidential contract with Groupe E thirteen years ago. Following the merger of the municipalities of the Plateau de Diesse, the new municipality assumed the agreements on the wind farm project that had been signed by the former authorities. These contracts, designated as “strictly confidential,” remain binding on the municipality to this day, and it has committed itself not to disclose the contents to third parties — not even to the municipal assembly. These agreements, however, have significant implications, particularly with regard to transparency and the provision of information to the public.
A Municipality Under Influence
By assuming these agreements, the municipality of Plateau de Diesse committed itself to “bringing its political weight to bear with local, regional and cantonal authorities in order to promote the harmonious development of the partners’ projects.” In plain terms, this means that the municipality has pledged to lobby for the wind farm under the strictest secrecy, without informing or involving the municipal assembly. These assurances also include an obligation to “promote the support of the affected population.” It is therefore understandable why the municipality has been actively advancing the project for years. The consultative vote of June 2015, in which the municipal population approved the project, is consequently subject to a clear misapprehension.
A Serious Conflict of Interest
Even more concerning is the fact that the municipality plays a dual role in this matter: it is both the signatory of an agreement obligating it to support the project, and the authority responsible for examining the dossier and deciding on the preliminary ruling regarding the land-use plan and the building permit. This conflict of interest undermines the objectivity and independence required for an impartial assessment of the project, and renders future decisions legally contestable.
A Financial Matter
In return for their support of Groupe E Greenwatt, the municipality receives financial compensation. However, the documents obtained by the association Mont Sujet Libre were redacted on this point, so the exact amounts are not known. The economic reality behind the official discourse on renewable energy is ruthless: the construction of wind farms is an extremely lucrative business, but only for the project developer. 60% of the investment costs are subsidized by public funds, while the investor finances only 40% of the project and yet becomes the sole owner of the installations. Municipalities receive only a minimal amount, which is insufficient to compensate for the loss of attractiveness and the nuisance to residents. Ultimately, there is a risk that the wind farm will become a financial own goal for the municipality. The wind lobby is delighted.
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