The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) declared off-limits the territory of Aidu Wind Farm after developers Oleg and Andres Sonajalg refused to comply with an order to halt construction work on the site.
The order to halt construction had been issued by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA).
“Based on the materials forwarded to us by the TTJA, the PPA imposed a prohibition on stay at Aidu Wind Farm,” spokespeople for the PPA said.
According to TTJA spokesperson Anne-Mai Helemae, construction work at the wind farm continued despite the order issued to the developer and the warning of a fine.
“The TTJA has been monitoring the situation, and the state of play we recorded demonstrated that continuation of the construction activity would entail irreversible damage,” Helemae explained.
The TTJA on April 12 issued an order to halt construction activity at the wind farm, which was physically delivered to the wind farm by a TTJA official on April 16.
The primary reason for the issuance of the order is an assessment according to which the construction of the wind farm would pose a threat to national security.
The Ministry of Defense has previously said that building large wind turbines in the area in question in Northeastern Estonia would interfere with the operation of military radars.
“The TTJA is also of the opinion that construction activity by the developer is illegal as the developer of Aidu Wind Farm does not have a valid construction permit,” spokespeople for the authority have previously said. “The party to which the order was issued is Eleon Green OU as the holder of building rights for the Aidu wind farm.”
Eleon AS board member Oleg Sonajalg has described the TTJA’s demand to immediately halt development as an unprecedented and brutal move, as the company, according to repeated assertions by the local municipality, “possesses all the permits and rights for putting up its wind turbines.” (ERR/Business World Magazine)