Taraba: Intent to Build Battery Plant in Surany Will be Assessed in EIA Process

Bratislava, September 14 (TASR) - The intent to build a battery factory in Surany (Nitra region) will be duly assessed in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (an SNS nominee) has reported on Facebook. Taraba wrote this in response to Nitra region governor Branislav Becik, who's claimed that the regional authority has asked for the EIA process in the case of the plant, but the request has been ignored. The Environment Ministry isn't currently assessing the project, however. "The investor has not submitted anything to the ministry yet and so we have nothing to comment on professionally. If any application is delivered to the ministry, I will be the first to bring it to the attention of the public and we will clearly comment on it," Taraba declared. The minister claimed that he won't allow the project to pose a threat to people's lives. "Therefore, the assessment will be open to the public, it will be legal and in accordance with strict laws and also European Union directives," he added. The planned battery factory in Surany is projected to produce 20 gigawatt-hours of batteries per year, and the production capacity could be potentially doubled. The full start of production is expected in 2026, with the plant set to employ 1,500 people. zel/ko