The visit of the Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, to Aitoloakarnania has been completed, aiming to strengthen cooperation with local authorities, productive sectors, and local communities.

The minister visited the area where the largest public cooperative photovoltaic park in Greece is planned to be developed. The project was institutionalized through a law passed by the Ministry last Thursday in Parliament. It is a project of major importance for the country’s energy transition, sustainable development, and the strengthening of Aitoloakarnania and Western Greece’s role in the new energy map of Greece.

Once completed, the project is expected to reduce energy costs for beneficiaries by up to 62%, providing energy security to 147,000 farmers and citizens. At the same time, it has a strong social dimension, as it will cover the needs of 17,000 vulnerable households and directly affect nearly 300,000 residents across twelve municipalities in the region.

The plant’s capacity is expected to reach 105 MW, making it the largest public virtual net metering project in Greece and one of the largest in Europe. The project will be developed on public land in Messolonghi (Polder estate), which has been granted to the Region of Western Greece by the Ministry of Rural Development. Part of the project will be funded through the Regional Operational Programme of Western Greece, with €25 million already allocated.

Papastavrou stated:
“We are putting energy democracy into practice. We are implementing in Western Greece the largest public cooperative photovoltaic park in the country. 147,000 farmers will benefit and 17,000 vulnerable households will receive free electricity. This was an issue that the regional authority had raised in an organized and well-documented way, having also secured European funding. The commitment of the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is to maintain a continuous presence in the regions and implement policies that address the real needs of citizens. With planning, consistency, and cooperation, we are moving forward with interventions that boost development, strengthen energy security, reduce energy costs, and improve citizens’ daily lives.”

The Regional Governor of Western Greece, Nektarios Farmakis, said:
“A major vision for Western Greece is now taking shape as a real project. Years of effort are beginning to bear fruit. The institutional framework for the Region’s energy communities enables us to implement the largest cooperative energy democracy project in the country and one of the largest in Europe. I warmly thank the Minister for his valuable contribution, as well as previous leadership of the Ministry. The Prime Minister himself believed in our vision, which proved decisive. Our responsibility now is to move quickly with implementation, offering significant energy relief to hundreds of thousands of citizens.”

Earlier, the minister visited Messolonghi, where he paid respects to the Holy Icon of Panagia “Axion Esti,” and met with the Mayor of the Sacred City of Messolonghi, Spyros Diamantopoulos, to discuss local issues and cooperation opportunities with the Ministry.

A broad working meeting was also held with the participation of Regional Governor Nektarios Farmakis, MP Thanasis Papathanasis, and local mayors. Discussions focused on energy infrastructure upgrades, water resource management, environmental protection, and projects to enhance development and daily life in Aitoloakarnania.

As part of the visit, Papastavrou also met with the President of the Aitoloakarnania Chamber, Panagiotis Tsichritzis, to discuss strengthening entrepreneurship and the local economy through energy tools and investments.