Firefighters were battling ‘continuous and intense’ flare-ups between the communities of Polemi and Kourdaka, fire service spokesman Andreas Kettis said on Wednesday afternoon.The fire that broke out on Tuesday near Polemi is estimated to have destroyed eight square kilometres of land, including houses and animal farms. “The flare ups are being dealt with. Ground forces … Read more
The need for civil society organizations to act as environmental watchdogs remains urgent, as recent revelations have shown violations of environmental conditions in the Akamas area. The scandal involved roadworks that ignored environmental conditions, and the Forestry Department was supposed to oversee the project. The Water Development Department had warned about violations a year before environmental NGOs raised the alarm. Additionally, efforts are being made to protect Griffon vultures from extinction, with poison baits and power line collisions being major threats. Despite efforts to persuade the Electricity Authority to make infrastructure safer, losses of vultures and eagles continue due to collisions and electrocutions.
The board of the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) is set to award contracts for two projects worth €45 million to beef up the electricity transmission system. The EAC’s top priority is the stability of the system and providing uninterrupted power to consumers. The EAC is also working on increasing infrastructure projects to help with the penetration of renewables in the energy mix. The layout of the grid is not to blame for discarding energy generated from renewables, as the cutbacks are due to demand being less than the generated electricity. It is currently unfeasible to have a transmission grid that allows the connection of renewables from anywhere in Cyprus due to the high cost of building a new network. Strengthening transmission lines would require a major investment of hundreds of millions of euros, which consumers would have to pay for. Acquiring permits for new transmission lines also takes a long time.
The Electricity Authority of Cyprus is examining tariff hikes for 2025 and plans to present their proposal to the energy regulator by July. The organization has cash reserves of over €280 million and plans to upgrade the Dhekelia power station at a cost of €110 million.
Famagusta Police arrested a 35-year-old man for committing four burglaries and thefts between January and May 2024. The incidents included theft of cables from EAC substations and a residential burglary in Protaras. The suspect was linked to all four cases and remains in custody. Two other suspects, aged 31 and 29, were already apprehended for their involvement in one of the EAC substation burglaries on May 4, with their case progressing towards trial.
The construction of the liquefied natural gas terminal at Vassiliko in Cyprus has been plagued with delays and cost increases, with the project not even halfway completed. The project was awarded to a consortium of Chinese, Greek, and Norwegian interests, with the hope of reducing electricity costs for citizens. However, additional costs have been incurred, such as €25 million due to steel price increases during the pandemic. The Audit Office report highlighted serious political responsibilities for the management of the project by the government. The consortium has filed a case demanding an additional €200 million due to delays. The situation is similar with the Larnaca Port and Marina project, where the company has been collecting revenues without starting the agreed-upon works. Overall, these projects have put the Cypriot citizens at risk of bearing additional costs without seeing the completion of the projects.
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) is a global labor union that has been organizing in Cyprus since 2020. The IWW stands out from traditional trade unions by being a union for all workers, including minorities, migrants, and sex workers. The IWW is not trying to be friendly with employers and government, unlike traditional unions. The IWW is a horizontal organization that values transparency and full participation rights for all members. The IWW encourages workers to join traditional trade unions as well. In Cyprus, the IWW organizes all workers under one big union, unlike traditional federations divided by profession or sector. The IWW aims to prioritize organizing over mere mobilizing and believes in forming strong relationships with fellow workers.
CyTA has been given the approval to supply and install 400,000 smart meters by a new law passed by the House.
A flare thrown into a quarry started a forest fire due to a mistake made during the destruction of smoke bombs and flares. The Mines Service admitted the error, unlike the Electricity Authority in a previous incident. The forest fire season has been extended to 8 months due to high-risk periods expanding. Plans to purchase 10 firefighting aircraft will be implemented gradually over five years. Despite efforts to combat organized crime, concerns are raised about leaks to journalists and limited information.
The first major forest fire of the year was started by a flare that was accidentally thrown into a quarry and flew out, igniting the surrounding area. The Mines Service took responsibility for the mistake. The summer forest fire fighting period has been extended to eight months to address the expanding high-risk periods due to climate change. The government plans to gradually purchase ten fire-fighting aircraft in the next five years. During the recent forest fire, only one fire-fighting aircraft was deployed, highlighting the need for more resources. The police are investigating the relationships of individuals involved in recent violent incidents. Despite efforts to combat organized crime, leaks to journalists are a concern for some officials.