Local protests in Alambra over proposed battery energy storage system

Residents and local officials in Alambra are protesting the authorization of a 40 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Rotsheri site. The project involves installing 23 energy storage containers adjacent to residential areas and a proposed site for a technical school. On May 6, local stakeholders, including Deputy Mayor Iosif Vasileiou and Deputy Mayor of Alambra Popi Tsiopani Konstantinou, held a meeting to discuss concerns. Environmental engineer Michalis Loizidis cited critical safety gaps, including the lack of a safety buffer, inadequate emergency plans for fires or toxic gas leaks, and risks to the Lympia-Alambra dam. While the community states they are not opposed to renewable energy, they have demanded the suspension of works, an independent scientific review, and a public consultation. The local action committee has threatened to block roads to protest the perceived lack of transparency and safety documentation from the state.