Construction

During the summer of 2011 the Union, representing the farmers-investors of both Aetoloakarnania as well as Corfu, started negotiations with the candidate constructing companies (EPC) of the facilities.

The amount of work to-be-done and the according organization performed by the Union attracted some of the biggest constructing companies, whose presence was crucial to the whole endeavor for a number of reasons. The most important reason was the ability of the afore-mentioned companies to allow credit for the producers, who would, otherwise, be incapable of depositing the necessary amount of money in advance, which was set as a prerequisite by the PPC.

The total sum deposited at the Power Public Corporation (hereafter PPC) reached 15.000.000 euros in cash as well as 15.000.000 more in letters of credit.

The contribution of Pireus Bank in funding the works in progress was also of utter importance as the bank’s presence and résumé acted as a guarantee for the completion of the power stations in a very short period of time.

Due to the delay in ensuring funding and the suffocating deadlines set by the PPC, the majority of the stations had to be completed in a very short period of time. This meant that, in many cases, the stations had to be completed in only 2 days from the commencement of the construction works and under extremely difficult weather conditions- in the midst of winter and under heavy rainfall. The recourses needed in matters of stuff and machinery can only be compared to highway construction works, on a Prefecture scale.

Οι δυσκολίες κατασκευής έμοιαζαν ανυπέρβλητες. Το όλο εγχείρημα αποδείχθηκε περισσότερο δύσκολο απ' όσο μπορούσε κανείς να φανταστεί.

As a whole, 11 construction companies were involved and are the following:

• AKTOR
• EURARCO
• J&P AVAX
• SUNWAYS – GREENBIONIC
• ENOLIA ENERGY
• PIKIA ENERGY
• ISPS
• RENI
• INTERLAB
• GREEN VENTURES
• GREENLINE

Στη δύσκολη συγκυρία της πλήρους κατάρρευσης κάθε επενδυτικής δραστηριότητας, η κατασκευή των πάρκων υπήρξε σωτήρια για την τοπική οικονομία.

The construction of the power stations not only repaid the producers who believed in RES, but it also acted as a financial aid for the whole Prefecture, during a difficult economic period.

The earthworks and fence construction were solely done by local work-crews, an important number of staff were employed either directly by the construction companies or were occupied in regional activities, such as guarding the stations until their connection to the power grid, whereas the presence itself of the companies and their staff constituted a substantial source of income for hotels, gas stations, restaurants etc.

It has been calculated that during the construction works in the Prefecture there was a total inflow of more than 6 million euros, concerning various activities.

It is worth mentioning that the storehouses of the Union were used for temporarily storing the equipment and materials, which were later on installed at the power stations. Due to the amount of materials and tight schedule for 4 consecutive months, the facilities remained open on a 24h basis, receiving trucks of local suppliers as well as suppliers from abroad, such as Germany, Italy etc.