Overhead lines have been removed in the Hortobágy region29 April 2008
Special environmental protection cooperation has been implemented within the framework of the National Development Plan in order to protect bird species in the area of the Hortobágy National Park.
As a result of the project, which has been implemented with EU co-financing, the Hortobágy National Park, which is a World Heritage Site, has recovered the landscape values that justify its special status by removing transmission poles that clash with the landscape.
The Hortobágy region is one of Europe’s most important bird habitats; its entire area is protected at a European level. However, the hazardous overhead lines have caused the tragic death of many birds along the critical section of the line. By placing underground cables, the objective of the programme was to put a stop to earlier practice and remove the poles, which most definitely do not fit well with the plain known as the Puszta, a World Heritage-listed landscape.
Within the framework of the project implemented by the Hortobágy National Park with the help of EU funding exceeding 1 billion HUF in value approved under a call announced by EPIOP, E.ON Tiszántúli Áramszolgáltató Zrt (E.On Trans-Tisza Electricity Company) replaced overhead power lines with ground cables along an 80 km stretch. The EPIOP project covered the costs of laying the ground cables, whilst E.ON financed the removal of the overhead power lines and related costs, which amounted to more than HUF 100 million. The construction work began in July 2007 and was completed in October.
Within the framework of the New Hungary Development Plan, the Environment and Energy Operational Programme (EEOP) is following suit by extending the scope of objective stipulated in EPIOP. The general goal of the Operational Programme is to promote the sustainable development of Hungary. More specifically, its main priority is to reduce Hungary's environmental problems, and consequently improve the quality of life and the economy's ability to adapt to environmental processes. EEOP has been earmarked a framework of 1332 billion HUF for the 2007-2013 period.