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The association has sent to the government a proposal to search for a reasonable compromise between the Ministry of Defense and developers of wind energy to find measures enabling the co-existence of wind energy and national defense capability in the area of East-Viru County or to adopt a strategic decision to halt all wind energy related activity in the region based on the principle of equal treatment.

"In the national spatial plan it has been noted that there are particularly extensive possibilities for the establishment of land based wind farms in the former mining areas of East-Viru, where there is a satisfactory wind potential and fewer societal contradictions and environmental restrictions. Despite the above, developing of wind farms in East-Viru County has become impossible because of the opposition of the Ministry of Defense," Andres Sanajalg, chairman of the management board of the association, said in the letter.

"The Ministry of Defense has justified its opposition to the construction of wind turbines with the claim that the turbines will have a negative effect on the Kellavere radar and the radio communication systems. There is no ongoing dispute on the grounds that the wind farms already built are having a similar effect. Likewise, the same effect existed when the approvals having to do with various wind farms were given by the Ministry of Defense," Sonajalg said.

According to the association, the Ministry of Defense has halted the development of a 75 megawattt wind farm at Paite-Vaivina, a 48 megawatt wind farm called Purtse I, the Purtse II and Varja wind farms with an aggregate capacity of 150 megawatts, and the 255 megawatt Vaivara wind farm.

At the same time, wind generating capacities totaling 194 megawatts have already been installed or are under construction in East-Viru County.

In a situation where, on the one hand, the construction of wind farms has been accepted earlier, whereas the construction of new ones is being prevented, it is not possible for developers of wind farms to plan their business activity, plan investments and carry out the decisions concerning investment already made, Sonajalg said.

"In a situation like this it is necessary for the state to adopt a clear stand based on the principle of equal treatment and actual circumstances of fact," he said.

If the decision of the government is that for reasons of national defense, the development of wind farms in East-Viru County will not be permitted in the future, the government is obliged to compensate businesses for the investments already made and a reasonable forgone return on capital.

A tentative estimate puts the size of the potential damage at 1.16 bln euros, according to the association.