Newsroom
A new battery storage facility approved in Alampra, Nicosia district, has sparked outrage among residents and lawmakers who warn the project could turn their neighborhood into a safety and quality-of-life nightmare.
The Electrochemical Electricity Storage Station, designed to hold 40 MW with plans for potential expansion to 80 MW, will include 24 containers of lithium batteries just meters from homes. Lawmakers and residents fear that in the event of a fire, the batteries would be virtually impossible to extinguish.
“This isn’t just green development; it’s a direct threat to human safety and everyday life,” said DIPA Cooperation MP Giorgos Penintaex after a heated session at the Parliamentary Committee on Interior. He called the approval process “inadequate,” noting that residents were not consulted and that the land sits near a Water Development Department pumping station and a planned Green Technical School.
Penintaex highlighted that Alampra is already heavily developed, with a substation, high-voltage pylons, a bus station, and an industrial zone, creating constant noise and traffic. “The human factor has been ignored. Residents may be forced to leave the area,” he said.
Community representatives echoed these concerns. Giorgos Michael of the Alampra Struggle Committee stressed that while the community supports energy storage and green development, a proper risk assessment and careful location planning are essential. International incidents, he said, show serious fire risks, and noise from the cooling systems could worsen visual and acoustic nuisance.
Local resident Pantelitsa Michael described the shock of learning about the permits. “Our small oasis is in danger of turning into hell. Everyone who gave the permits completely ignored the human factor,” she said.
Both MPs and residents are calling on the Ministry of Interior to revoke or at least suspend the permit until the project undergoes a comprehensive re-evaluation. They stressed that energy storage initiatives must be balanced with respect for human life, safety, and the environment.
