The Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Wrocław has published the results of an inspection concerning the implementation of the project “Pilchowice I Hydroelectric Power Plant – modernization of water reservoir facilities”. The inspection, conducted from 2 July to 5 August 2026, concerned compliance with the conditions set out in administrative decisions related to the protection of protected species.
As reported by RDOŚ, “the inspection activities showed that the project was carried out in violation of the restrictions imposed in derogation decisions”. According to the officials’ findings, environmental supervision was largely selective, and no specialists in chiropterology, theriology or zoology were appointed at the construction site, despite this obligation arising from the decisions issued.
The inspection also raised objections to the way specialist supervision was conducted. The statement indicated, among other things, that ornithological supervision did not take into account previous environmental inventories or changes in water levels during the breeding period, while protective fencing for amphibians was installed only in the regulated part of the area near the dam, omitting their natural breeding sites.
RDOŚ also drew attention to work carried out in the riverbed. As stated, “heavy machinery entered the riverbed to build a ford without any prior inspection of the bottom by an ichthyologist or zoologist, which could have destroyed the wintering sites of benthic species”.
One of the most serious findings of the inspection concerns the effects of the sudden discharge of water. The Regional Directorate reports that, despite deteriorating living conditions for aquatic organisms, the discharge was not halted, ignoring the recommendations of ichthyological supervision. As a result, 23.47 tonnes of dead fish were sent for disposal, while a rescue operation made it possible to catch and transfer approximately 2.22 tonnes of live animals to the Wrzeszczyn reservoir.
Inspectors also pointed to serious deficiencies in documenting the losses. As emphasized, “no quantitative or species inventory was kept of the biomass removed for disposal”, while information about the absence of protected species among the dead fish was based solely on photographic documentation and oral accounts from the cleanup teams.
The objections also concern protected habitats of water crowfoot. According to RDOŚ, no ongoing inventory of destroyed sites was maintained, and the phytosociological assessment was based on a study carried out in winter, which—as indicated in the statement—does not meet the methodological requirements for this type of analysis.
At the same time, explanatory proceedings were conducted concerning the implementation of the conditions of the decision issued following an assessment of the project’s impact on the Natura 2000 area Ostoja nad Bobrem. It was established, among other things, that obligations concerning proper environmental supervision, securing the area and transferring animals outside the project’s impact area had not been fulfilled. In RDOŚ’s view, appropriate action was also not taken after an increase in suspended solids was detected in the watercourse.
In its summary of the inspection, the Regional Directorate stated that “the results of the inspection and explanatory proceedings indicate violations of the applicable conditions, which had a negative impact on the environment”. According to the officials, “failure to follow the supervision recommendations and the sudden discharge of water resulted in a lethal decrease in oxygenation and massive runoff of bottom sediments”, leading to “the documented killing of nearly 23.5 tonnes of fish and the devastation of the habitats” of the protected plant.
After the inspection was completed, RDOŚ issued post-inspection recommendations. Among other things, the investor is required to keep a mandatory species inventory of aquatic organisms, standardize the methodology for catching them and submit emergency procedures within 30 days of receiving the report. At the same time, the office noted that the recommendations do not include suspending the investment.
The Regional Directorate also reported on further steps. A notification of suspected criminal conduct involving the causing of damage to plant and animal life on a significant scale, as well as an offence related to violating the conditions of permits concerning protected species, will be submitted to the District Prosecutor’s Office in Lwówek Śląski.
In addition, RDOŚ will ask the Regional Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Wrocław to impose a financial penalty on the entity implementing the project, and will also ask the Lower Silesian Regional Inspector of Building Control to take the inspection findings into account and take action within its powers.
At the end of the statement, the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Wrocław assured that “all actions taken by RDOŚ in Wrocław are aimed at protecting our common natural heritage. We will keep you informed of further steps.”