Tag Archive for: Hydropower

Another hydroelectric power station authorized on an ecologically sensitive river

On May 14, 2025, the Lyon administrative court of appeal validated the construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Sallanche river, a tributary of the Arve (in Haute Savoie). FNE had challenged the prefectoral environmental authorization order in 2019, as the project threatened this river, classified as a biological reservoir, and diverted more than half the water flowing into the Sallanche. This ruling follows an initial decision by the Grenoble Administrative Court on December 6, 2022, which had initially annulled the project’s authorization precisely because of the risks it posed to the ecosystem.

FNE AURA (France Nature Environnement AUvergne-Rhône-Alpes), notes that this decision leads to a further artificialization of waterways, a phenomenon that is at the root of the difficulties in achieving good ecological status for rivers. Indeed, more than half the rivers in the Rhône-Méditerranée basin are in unsatisfactory condition, and many rivers already modified by artificial developments are struggling to maintain balanced biodiversity.

In legal terms, the administrative court of appeal adopted a different interpretation of current legislation, in particular article R214-109 of the French Environment Code. Unlike the Grenoble administrative court, it did not consider that the planned diversion would significantly affect the hydrology of the river, even though the latter is classified as a biological reservoir.

The court therefore overturned the Grenoble administrative court’s ruling and validated the prefectoral decree of December 26, 2019 authorizing the project.

This ruling reflects continuing legal uncertainty, particularly after a legislative attempt in 2019 to simplify the interpretation of rules on the protection of biological reservoirs. However, the Conseil d’État overturned this amendment and favors a case-by-case approach, leading to the risk of contradictory decisions and increasing legal uncertainty for the protection of biodiversity.Yet another hydroelectric plant authorized on a River with high ecological stakes.

More info :

Cour administrative d’appel de Lyon :
https://www.actu-environnement.com/media/pdf/jurisprudence/57.pdf

FNE :
https://www.fne-aura.org/communiques/region/centrale-hydroelectrique-de-sallanches-un-pas-de-plus-vers-la-degradation-de-nos-cours-deau/

logo Living Rivers Europe

Open letter: Counting on new hydropower to accelerate Renewable Energy deployment in Europe is irresponsible

ERN and more than 100 NGOs write to EU negotiators asking them to protect Europe’s rivers from new hydropower deployment in the revised Renewable Energy directive.
Already in 2020, 150 NGOs signed a manifesto asking EU decision-makers to stop new hydropower development in Europe.

Read the WWF press release:

 Ahead of the nextpolitical trilogue on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, more than 100 NGOs are sending an open letter to co-legislators from the European Parliament, European Commission and Council Presidency, asking them to exclude new hydropower from go-to areas as well as to include sustainability criteria recognizing that hydropower has direct impacts on freshwater ecosystems which must be mitigated.

 Because hydropower potential has been so exploited already in Europe, new hydropower would only make a small contribution to the energy transition, while causing immense damage to our waterways. According to WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022, freshwater species populations have seen the greatest overall global decline (83%), and within this species group, on average, monitored migratory fish populations have declined by 93% in Europe, making our continent the most affected.

Contact
Florian Cassier
Climate Communications Officer
fcassier@wwf.eu
+32 479 33 92 11

On International Day of Action for Rivers, ERN’s press release and petition to save the Mura river in Slovenia

Hydropower, a disaster for our rivers !
>> Read ERN’s press release (in french) <<

WWF launched a campaign and a petition (until 22 march) to ask Slovenia’s governement to abandon plans to erect eight hydropower dams across the Mura River – Amazon of Europe -, which would transform this healthy free-flowing river into eight lifeless reservoirs.
Sign the petition.