The initial plans for Monterotondo 2 in the municipality of Monterotondo Marittimo and in the area of ??Podere Barghini and Podere Milia were first announced back in 2015. With an initial investment of EUR 110 million, the plan was to develop the geothermal powerplant with an installed capacity of 20 MW and an annual output of 150 million kWh. To this end, initial surveys were conducted in the area around the proposed project site to verify its sustainability.
This is where the plan had been put on hold, as the natural conditions in the area did not correspond to the original forecast for the site’s installed capacity. Thus, Enel made the decision to construct a smaller power plant with a 5-MW capacity using binary cycle technology. Unfortunately, this meant that the authorization process had to be started from scratch according to regional and national regulations.
The procedure for issuance of new authorizations had already began a few months ago. There is now a notice of the procedure for affixing the pre-ordinary expropriation restriction and of the declaration of public utility for several parcels of land in the municipality. There is no estimated timeline for the project yet, as it is still in the midst of the authorization process.
“We are obviously happy that the company is making such an important investment in the area,” commented Giacomo Termine, Mayor of Monterotondo Marittimo. “At the time, we put our efforts into getting the 20 MW plant authorized. All the more reason that we will work hard to reach the conclusion of the process for 5 MW.”
