We are investing in the future of the industrial sites in Bastardo and Pietrafitta. Both these power plants will see the implementation of important technological innovation and sustainability projects, which have been discussed at meetings with the Umbria regional administration and local authorities.
On January 1st 2020 the thermoelectric power plant in Bastardo, in the municipal area of Gualdo Cattaneo in the province of Perugia, was officially taken out of service. Having not received suitable expressions of interest following the competitive procedure organized to select projects from business people or third parties for the sale and redevelopment of the plant, we began an energy renovation project for the site in line with the principles and the guidelines of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). In particular, work is planned for integrating the development of renewable energies and energy storage systems. Moreover, a study (conducted with local institutions) of the potential innovative activities for the repurposing of the site from a sustainability and circular economy perspective is at an advanced stage. The first step concerns our strategy to increase generation from renewable sources in Italy: on November 16 2020 the Conference of Services at the Umbria regional administration approved the project for the installation of a 1MW photovoltaic plant on the site of the former power plant.
A similar initiative has been launched in Pietrafitta, in the municipality of Piegaro. In line with the objectives of the PNIEC, we recently concluded the project to boost the efficiency of the combined-cycle gas-powered plant. This entails an investment of 15 million euros to improve the machinery at the plant, both from a perspective of technological excellence and in terms of sustainability, through the installation of equipment that meets the highest environmental standards. Operations to automate the plant and digitalize processes were also completed with the implementation of automated components that will ensure the efficiency and flexibility of operations.
These projects reiterate our commitment to sustainable development in the area, collaborating with the Umbria Regional administration and with the municipalities of Piegaro and Panicale in an extensive redevelopment and industrial recovery plan. This will begin with the areas we own that are not occupied by the plant, which will be the sites of energy projects that include the creation of new photovoltaic plants and innovative energy storage systems.
Further support for the local area, thanks to the expertise of Enel X – the Enel Group company specialized in innovative and digital services, energy efficiency, electric mobility, public and artistic lighting – has seen the Luigi Boldrini Paleontological Museum become “greener.” The museum’s roof now hosts a 32kW photovoltaic system that reduces energy consumption from the grid, thereby providing economic and environmental benefits. The museum, which is home to fossil collections that are some of Europe’s most prized paleontological assets, above all for the number of species discovered, is an important hub and attraction. It is part of a broader project for the creation of cultural itineraries and sustainable tourism that enhance the role and the history of electric energy in Umbria and in Italy as a whole.
The repurposing of the sites in Bastardo and Pietrafitta will progress through dialogue with national, regional and local institutions and with union organizations in order to continue to build a pathway of local development.