Life Elia

LIFE ELIA team just met Terna, the transmission system operator (TSO) of Italy on June 17^th 2014 in Rome. This meeting took place in the framework of our networking campaign aiming at sharing experiences of alternative vegetation management and at the creation of partnerships throughout Europe.

Meeting in Terna office and Italian situation

People from the Grid Development and from the Analysis and Environmental units attended the meeting. LIFE ELIA presented the project, and the 7 actions toolbox that are tested in Belgium and France.

Some actions are quite difficult to implement in some areas in Italy, mainly due to site accessibility and dryness conditions.

Terna, as many other TSOs, is facing some strong local opposition to new project. This opposition is not focused specifically on aerial high-tension lines, but are rather a "not in my backyard" expression.

Another problem consists in contacting and dealing with landowners, making it difficult to launch a project in a given territory.

Protecting landscape by masking substation

To compensate the construction of 2 substations in Adda Sud Park, Terna has undertaken on site works in order to diminish visual impacts and to enhance biodiversity. Excavated soil was used to create surrounding hills.

According to Nature park specialist recommendations, these hills were planted with local indigenous species to boost biodiversity.

The result seems really interesting : substations are more and more integrated in the natural landscape and results on birds and plants are still to be monitored.

Cultural compensation

In some places, Terna was asked to provide support to restore cultural heritage. On one case, Terna has paved a way to a mountain sanctuary for pilgrims (Sacro Monte Mesma in Ameno), and in another one it has protected historical trenches dating from WWI (Linea Cadorna in Ornavasso).

European programs involvement

Terna's involvement into environmental programs such as Best Grid and Inspired Grid shows again how the company's mentality is evolving. Terna is also producing social and responsibility report every year, as well as setting up consultation and negotiation methodologies.

As for other TSOs, such actions have to be underlined and transmitted to potential partners in the national grid development.

Terna has been active in terms of biodiversity in many fields, and its input in a coordinated work to gather best practices in terms of vegetation management will be very useful