Diapontia Islands remain excluded from wind energy planning

The Diapontia Islands remain excluded from plans for the development of an offshore wind farm. The new Special Spatial Planning Framework for Renewable Energy Sources, which now also includes rules governing marine areas, does not reinstate the Diapontia Islands in the planning framework.

The sea area around Othoni, Erikousa and Mathraki was included in 2023 in the initial National Offshore Wind Development Programme of the Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company as a “potential Offshore Wind Farm Development Area for the Diapontia Islands.” The proposal triggered strong opposition in Corfu and on the three islands.

A redesign of the programme followed in 2024, and the Diapontia Islands were removed from it. At the time, it became known that the exclusion did not simply mean postponing the project to a later phase, but abandoning the specific plan altogether.

The publication of the new Special Spatial Planning Framework naturally revived the question, since it introduces specific rules for offshore wind installations. However, a review of the framework shows that there is no new provision for the Diapontia Islands.

In any case, the Special Spatial Planning Framework does not itself designate specific locations for offshore wind farms. These are determined through the dedicated National Offshore Wind Development Programme and marine spatial planning.

Thus, based on the current situation, there are no plans or active proposals for an offshore wind farm in the Diapontia Islands. The area was included in the initial 2023 planning, was excluded in 2024, and the new Special Spatial Planning Framework does not alter that decision.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS