On Monday 09/05/2022, TEE / TDM level, consisting of President Nikolaos Sylliris, the Vice President Evangelia Bagavou and the member of the Board. and former President Stergio Kiana held a meeting at the TEE / TDM with the representative of the "Left Alliance for the Overthrow in Western Macedonia" and current Regional Councilor, Mr. Stefanos Prassos and a delegation of the association consisting of Mr. George Georgiadis, member of the TEE Delegation and Mr. Costas Asaloumidis, President of the Trade Union in Energy "Labor Solidarity".
The President of TEE / TDM Nikolaos Sylliris welcomed Mr. Prasso and the representatives of his association and after informing them about the meetings he has held recently with local organizations, briefed him on the issues raised by the new Administration of the Department of Western Macedonia of the TEE, both for the benefit of its members, as well as for the benefit of the citizens of Western Macedonia.
Starting his placement the President of TEE / TDM, referred primarily to the predominant issue of de-lignification and the clear position formed by the Department on the need to extend the use of lignite in power generation, which can be achieved by extending the operation of Meliti units, of Ptolemaida 5 and her 5ης unit of Agios Dimitrios, while its operation is deemed necessary 3ης and 4ης unit of Agios Dimitrios for the smooth operation of district heating in Kozani. At the same time, SDAM projects must be an immediate priority of the government, to act forward in attracting new investment, while an equally immediate priority on the part of PPC should be the mining rehabilitation projects, as they pose a significant environmental threat.
Then the President of TEE / TDM referred to the two important issues that are of great concern to the Certified Engineers, This is the first of many years of delay in awarding the pensions of the former TSMEDE, concerning those engineers who retire and are called upon for a number of years to live on a meager temporary pension and this second of a leaping and uncontrollable increase in the prices of building materials which has led both contractors to a financial impasse, as well as the Municipalities in the territory in stagnation and in inability to serve the daily needs of the citizen.
Mr. Prassos, taking the floor, after thanking the President of TEE / TDM for the hospitality, bidded on the need to extend the time of de-lignification, noting that its faction considers the use of lignite in electricity generation necessary for reasons of system stability and utilization of all domestic energy sources, while especially the units that have a desulphurisation unit, can continue to operate smoothly, as they pose no environmental threat to the area. Mr. Prassos expressed his belief that lignite became expensive due to political choices, due to the privatization of electricity and the conversion of electricity from a social good into a commodity and a stock market product. The use of RES in electricity generation, it is desirable, but they can not destroy the mountains and the environment in general and at the same time deprive the agricultural and grassland areas of the primary sector. They are not always economical but they do not have a storage system and he stressed the need to use fossil fuels in electricity generation., as fuel in the base units that are, with existing technology, necessary in the production of electricity and the stability of the system.
also, Mr. Prassos made extensive reference to the complete inaction observed in relation to the imposed mining restoration projects, analyzing the difficulties of the rehabilitation project when they are not in operation because it is impossible to rehabilitate with conventional equipment and without the participation of PPC. He argued that the mines should be rehabilitated while in operation, as valuable lignite deposits can be removed from the slopes, with their simultaneous restoration as provided by the EIA to stop landslides, self-ignition and the continuation of the destruction of the aquifer. Χαρακτηριστικά ανέφερε ότι πρέπει να γίνει reopening of the Amyntaio Mine for the restoration of the Mine and transfer of lignite to the Melitis substation. This could stop landslides in Anargyri and Valtonera, τις μελλοντικές αυταναφλέξεις και να απομακρύνει τον υπαρκτό κίνδυνο αποστράγγισης των τεσσάρων λιμνών της Περιοχής Αμυνταίου (Vegoritis- Heimaditis, Zazari and Petron). It will also fuel Melitis substation in fuel, of which the mine is poor in lignite deposits forcing the most modern, in operation today PPC Station, in malfunction, despite fuel transports from much greater distances but also from abroad. This will also stimulate the economic activity of the region, giving work to hundreds of workers and self-employed in earthworks in the area.
A discussion ensued as to whether an organized program, with a depth of at least 10 years, could give development perspective to the region, for the possibility of regular black out, as many argue, the ineffectiveness of de-lignification studies and the fact that their negative economic forecasts are finally confirmed, social and environmental problems brought to the Region by the premature and unnecessary deindustrialization (de-lignification) etc..
Finally, the delegation of the "Left Alliance for the Overthrow in Western Macedonia" pointed out that the huge problems in the region of Western Macedonia, στους καταναλωτές ρεύματος και γενικότερα στην ηλεκτροπαραγωγή δημιουργήθηκαν από την ιδιωτικοποίηση και την αθρόα είσοδο ιδιωτών κερδοσκόπων στην Ηλεκτρική Ενέργεια της χώρας μας και γενικότερα σε όλες τις χώρες της ΕΕ.
