Hydroelectric Project in Esenta to Generate 4.4M kWh of Clean Energy
The waters of the Chiese River and the Arnò irrigation canal will be used to produce clean electricity. This is not a distant hypothesis but rather a project currently under construction in the hamlet of Esenta, Fraction of Lonate, through the commitment of the Hydroelectric Consortium.
This is a company established with 60% participation from the Consorzio di Bonifica dell’Alto e Medio Mantovano and 40% from the Consorzio del Medio Chiese. The initiative’s origins are distinctly Mantuan, since the leaders of the consortium are a Castiglionese and a Solferinese: the president is the veterinarian from Solferino, Dr. Gavioli, and one of the most active councilors is the former mayor of Castiglione Sante De Padova.
Status of Works and Technical Features
The construction work for the hydroelectric plant has been ongoing for some time and has nearly completed the civil works phase. The project aims to fully exploit the hydraulic head of 23.5 meters that the Arnò irrigation canal creates at Esenta.
According to the designer’s calculations, this plant should produce, at full capacity, 4.4 million kilowatt-hours, slightly more than the annual consumption of the entire city of Castiglione. “Plants like these — explained Gavioli — are quite common along the Chiese. Our goal, since the water coming from the river is insufficient to irrigate the territory of the Mantuan consortium, is to generate electricity free of charge that we can use to power the wells we are installing in the surrounding area.”
Costs and Funding
The project for the Esenta plant costs approximately four billion lire in total. Half of the expenses have already been covered through a bank loan.
However, the Consortium expects to cover the second half of the financing from the Region: “If we had to take out another loan, the construction of the plant would no longer be cost-effective,” Gavioli said, “so we are trying to obtain one billion lire from the Region. A few months ago, we were granted a contribution of 700 million lire, but we could not use it because the Region only allowed us 240 days to spend the money.”
Now that the civil works have been completed and the plant equipment is imminent, it would be important to receive a contribution, which would provide the decisive boost to generate clean energy also for Castiglione.
