Referendums on wind power plants in the 2026 municipal elections are a set of 19 local votes held concurrently with the municipal council elections on 9 and 10 October 2026 [1]. The referendums will decide on the construction of up to 81 new wind turbines with a total output of 450 megawatts, which, according to an analysis by the Chamber of Renewable Energy Sources, would amount to more than doubling the Czech Republic's current wind power capacity and would generate electricity for approximately 400,000 households [1]. The country currently has around 220 wind power plants in operation with an output of 380 megawatts [1].*
Where the votes are taking place
Most referendums are being held in the Central Bohemian Region, specifically in Petrovice in the Rakovník area, Kačice in the Kladno area, and in Petroupim, Soběhrdy and Teplýšovice in the Benešov area [1]. Four votes are taking place in the Svitavy area of the Pardubice Region, in the municipalities of Dětřichov, Kamenná Horka, Mikuleč and Sklené [1]. In the Bruntál area of the Moravian-Silesian Region, residents of Horní Benešov, Staré Heřminovy and Zátor are voting [1]. In the Plzeň Region, referendums are being held in Kralovice, Žihle and Měčín, and in the South Bohemian Region in Radenín and Šebířov in the Tábor area [1]. Votes are also taking place in Cítoliby in the Louny area of the Ústí nad Labem Region and in Bystrá nad Jizerou in the Semily area of the Liberec Region [1].
In Kačice in the Kladno area, residents previously supported the project in a poll; the municipality then concluded a planning agreement with the investor NOHO Energy and is preparing to build five power plants, with the project currently undergoing an environmental impact assessment [2]. A number of residents subsequently drew up a petition and requested a binding referendum, which the council approved [1]. Kačice's deputy mayor, Daniela Veselská, said wind power plants could "bring finances to the municipality while also strengthening our municipality's energy self-sufficiency" [1]. If the five power plants are put into operation, the municipality should receive a one-off payment of six million crowns and then 3.5 million crowns annually for the duration of operation, and residents should also receive discounted electricity prices [2]. In Petrovice in the Rakovník area, according to mayor Radek Jelínek, one power plant is to be built, and the municipality should receive between 400,000 and 1.5 million crowns annually from the investor, depending on the amount of electricity generated [2].
Development in the number of referendums
Before the October votes, 84 referendums on wind power plants had taken place in the Czech Republic, with roughly a third of municipalities voting in favour of construction [1]. While between 2006 and 2022 an average of one to two such votes were held per year, 2026, with 30 referendums, is so far the highest [1]. After the October elections, the total number of referendums on wind power plants held in the Czech Republic since 2006 is expected to exceed one hundred [1]. Under the law, a referendum is valid if at least 35 percent of eligible voters take part [2].
Arguments of supporters and opponents
Energy expert Martin Ander of the Chamber of Renewable Energy Sources said that the key to a referendum's success is "open communication between the investor and citizens from day one," and that offering a guaranteed annual contribution to the municipal budget and cheaper electricity significantly changes perceptions of the project [1]. According to Ander, wind power plants have been operating in the Czech Republic for more than 20 years, and their operation has shown that fears about noise and effects on animal health have not been confirmed [1]. Opponents of the projects, on the other hand, often cite concerns about noise, disruption of the landscape character, falling property prices, and impacts on surrounding ecosystems, including disturbance of birds of prey or the destruction of protected anthills [1].
Sources
- ČTK / České noviny — 28 September 2026
- Kladenský deník — 28 September 2026