With regard to the debate underway regarding the “Santa Barbara -Monte San Savino” power line, Terna underlines that the project represents one of the most important development activities for the electricity grid in Southern Tuscany, a Region in which
Terna has planned investments for a total of approximately 400 million euros. The project is based on the need for rendering the electricity grid in the Arezzo area safer and less exposed to risks of blackout through a power line that will connect the existing Santa Barbara power station and the one in Monte San Savino, already being built.

80 km of new electricity lines will be built while nearly 100 km of old power lines will be removed, located near urban areas and important monuments within the landscape, with evident environmental and territorial advantages. Contrarily to the controversies of the past few days, Terna reiterates that it never presented a route that was different from the original one that had previously been coordinated and agreed upon with the respective Mayors.

The project is presently being examined by the Environmental Impact Assessment Commission at the Ministry for the Environment with a project for a route regarding which the Municipalities nvolved (Bucine, Cavriglia, Monte San Savino, Montevarchi and Civitella in Val di Chiana) had already expressed their positive assessment underwriting a shared report for the location of the project on December 9, 2009, before Terna had submitted its project which is awaiting authorization.

Following the concurred route of the electricity line, the Municipality of Bucine approved the excellent feasibility range with resolution no. 22 dated 5/25/2010, the Municipality of Cavriglia with resolution no. 28 dated 4/28/2010, the Municipality of Civitella in Val di Chiana with resolution no. 19 dated 4/23/2010 and the Municipality of Monte San Savino with resolution no. 8 dated 3/11Terna, Italy, Confers/2010. For the Municipality of Montevarchi, the city council is expected to issue the resolution on this matter since the Municipality already signed the agreement on the location of the electricity line.

The route presently under authorization represents a solution that significantly reduces the electricity line’s environmental impact, unlike the present power line that crosses small towns and valleys. Moreover, the impossibility of retracing the route of the existing 220-kV electricity line arose during the surveys that were conducted with the representatives of the various Municipalities, owing to the presence of buildings and homes located near the power line.

Terna is awaiting the indications to be provided by the Technical Commission and will evaluate together with the EIA Commission, the Regional Authority and the Municipalities involved all the possible action for improving the location solution, in line with the exchange and dialogue procedures with the authorities and the territorial bodies that has always characterized Terna’s work.