The Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine has completed its review of materials under Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedure No. 8343 and issued a corresponding conclusion regarding the project to construct a wind power plant in the territory of the Tur’ie-Remetivska community, Zakarpattia region.
During the assessment, factors such as proximity to protected natural areas, inclusion in the nature reserve fund, proximity to virgin forests, distances to them, whether the area is a primary wild territory, and potential impacts on birds and bats were analyzed. The decision is made based on these factors.
The ecological section of the materials relies on studies confirming a low impact on birds and bats. The station’s facilities are located at a sufficient distance from protected areas (PAs), and the planned activity area does not fall within the PAs or the Emerald Network. Calculation results confirm a low level of negative environmental impact.
The Ministry also examined: the approved detailed land plan (23.05.2024 No. 1242), urban planning conditions and restrictions, notification of the start of construction submitted to DIAM, availability of land ownership documents (including lease agreements for specific cadastral numbers), and the land-use framework with sublease options for project phases.
The area designated for the construction of the station and its infrastructure is located outside virgin forests, internationally significant wetlands, and is not part of the nature reserve fund, while the station’s facilities are sited at the required distance from protected areas.
Considering the distances to the nearest PAs and virgin forests (80, 140, and 490 m respectively), the protective zones of these areas will not be violated.
Polonyna Runa is not a primary wild area; it has experienced anthropogenic impact since the 1960s due to the placement of a Tropospheric Network management and communication military facility, remnants of which remain to this day.
The project does not involve deforestation within the EIA procedure. Access to the site is via an existing concrete road, and technological roads are planned within the meadow. Forest roads constructed by the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine are not part of the wind installation project.
Inspections by regulatory authorities revealed no violations: construction complies with current land and urban planning legislation.
The project implementation complies with the norms outlined in the Law of Ukraine “On EIA,” and the developer possesses all necessary permits issued appropriately. From a legal standpoint, the Ministry of Economy has no grounds to deem the activity unacceptable or to fully prohibit the project.
The EIA decision for Polonyna Runa does not automatically apply to other sites; each case is reviewed individually. Other EIAs for wind farms are currently underway across the country, each evaluated separately and within legal frameworks. The Ministry ensures compliance with environmental “red lines,” and renewable energy development is possible only with ecological safeguards and adherence to legislation.
Russian attacks since October 2025 have damaged 8.5 GW of generation capacity in Ukraine, including thermal and hydroelectric plants.
Developing renewable energy sources (RES) is a state priority aimed at strengthening energy independence, resilience, and modernizing the energy system to EU standards. During the full-scale Russian invasion, approximately 260 MW of wind and 850 MW of solar capacity were added.
According to the National Energy and Climate Plan for 2030, Ukraine aims to meet at least 27% of its needs from renewable sources. Currently, RES account for 11% of demand.
The project foresees the installation of thirty modern wind turbines with a capacity of up to 5.5 MW each. The planned wind farm (all 30 turbines) will have a total capacity of up to 156 MW. This project will allow Ukraine to generate approximately 480,000 MWh of natural energy annually.
Despite the strategic importance of RES development, all parties must act transparently and ethically. We do not support any form of pressure from any side. All decisions affecting the environment or local interests must undergo open consultations and be made in a public dialogue format. The final stage may involve judicial review to verify the legality of decisions in courts of all instances.
In this case, a stepwise approach to project implementation (“salami slicing”) was used. The investor began constructing foundations for future wind turbines before the EIA conclusion, while the permit documentation was under judicial challenge. However, the current Law of Ukraine on Environmental Impact Assessment does not explicitly prohibit this approach, so the activity cannot be deemed unacceptable solely for this reason.
At the same time, we do not support practices that could create a risk of circumventing the substance of environmental procedures. Therefore, the Ministry is initiating legislative amendments to prevent such situations in the future and to strengthen the integration of EIA mechanisms into related sectors.
