New Renewable Energy Spatial Plan for the Cyclades: Andros and Drymalia Naxos Included in Wind Suitability Zones

The Special Spatial Framework for Renewable Energy Sources was published in Government Gazette D 694/19.08.2026 under decision YPEN/DNEP/89998/3072/2026, defining Wind Suitability Areas in the South Aegean. In the Cyclades, four municipal units are included, covering all of Andros (Andros, Korthi, Ydrousa) and the Drymalia municipal unit in Naxos.

A key criterion of the new framework is the 300 square kilometer threshold, as smaller islands are designated as exclusion zones for new wind farms, with limited exceptions for critical infrastructure such as desalination plants. Consequently, Mykonos, Paros, Syros, Tinos, Milos, Santorini, the municipal unit of Naxos, and the Small Cyclades are excluded.

For included island areas, maximum allowed land coverage is capped at 4% of each municipal unit's area. Designation does not constitute immediate project approval, as environmental permits, settlement distances, exclusion zones, scenic landscapes, and dedicated landscape impact studies remain mandatory.