In a referendum held alongside the municipal elections in October 2026, residents of Bystrá nad Jizerou in the Semily District voted for the municipality not to support the construction of wind turbines.
In a referendum held alongside the municipal elections in October 2026, residents of the municipality of Bystrá nad Jizerou in the Semily District voted for the municipality not to support the siting, construction or operation of wind turbines on its territory, and for the council not to prepare or approve a change to the zoning plan that would allow it.[1][2]
According to the Czech News Agency, 50 people voted for this option and 43 against. Of 111 eligible persons, 84.68 percent took part in the vote, so it is valid and binding on the municipal council.[2]
According to the plan in the EIA information system, the company NOHO Energy intends to build up to three wind turbines near the municipality with a total output of up to 22 MW. The maximum hub height is to be 166 metres, the rotor diameter up to 175 metres and the blades up to 88 metres long; the park could supply roughly 50 GWh of electricity a year.[1][2] The municipality, which has about 120 inhabitants and a budget of around three million Czech korunas, signed an agreement on a joint project with the investor in November 2023. In a survey held at that time, 44 of 55 participants voted in favour. The municipality was to receive 800,000 korunas a year for each turbine and 1.2 million korunas upon final approval.[1][2]
NOHO Energy's chief technology officer Ondřej Ludvík said that the company takes note of the result, that a planning agreement is in force in the municipality, and that it will address further steps with the new council. According to him, opinion has changed since the survey, and according to public sources a large number of new residents registered in the municipality shortly before the elections.[1][2] Marcel Ladka of the Svaz moderní energetiky commented on the result with reference to the majority of those who voted.[1]
A referendum on a photovoltaic power plant in Ralsko in the Česká Lípa District took place at the same time. 537 people took part, fewer than the required 35 percent of eligible persons, so the vote was invalid.[1]
Related articles: Ralsko
Chronology
- — In a referendum held alongside the municipal elections, residents of Bystrá nad Jizerou in the Semily area rejected support for wind turbines, while the referendum on a photovoltaic power plant in Ralsko was invalid because of low turnout. iDNES.cz: Liberec Liberecká Drbna
Sources
- iDNES.cz: Liberec — 10 October 2026
- Liberecká Drbna — 11 October 2026