Organisation and duration of the permit-granting process
Article 16
1
Member States shall set up or designate one or more contact points. Those contact points shall, upon request by the applicant, guide through and facilitate the entire administrative permit application and granting process. The applicant shall not be required to contact more than one contact point for the entire process. The permit-granting process shall cover the relevant administrative permits to build, repower and operate plants for the production of energy from renewable sources and assets necessary for their connection to the grid. The permit-granting process shall comprise all procedures from the acknowledgment of the receipt of the application to the transmission of the outcome of the procedure referred to in paragraph 2.
2
The contact point shall guide the applicant through the administrative permit application process in a transparent manner up to the delivery of one or several decisions by the responsible authorities at the end of the process, provide the applicant with all necessary information and involve, where appropriate, other administrative authorities. Applicants shall be allowed to submit relevant documents also in digital form.
3
The contact point shall make available a manual of procedures for developers of renewable energy production projects and shall provide that information also online, addressing distinctly also small-scale projects and renewables self-consumers projects. The online information shall indicate the contact point relevant to the applicant's application. If a Member State has more than one contact point, the online information shall indicate the contact point relevant to the applicant's application.
4
Without prejudice to paragraph 7, the permit-granting process referred to in paragraph 1 shall not exceed two years for power plants, including all relevant procedures of competent authorities. Where duly justified on the grounds of extraordinary circumstances, that two-year period may be extended by up to one year.
5
Without prejudice to paragraph 7, the permit-granting process shall not exceed one year for installations with an electrical capacity of less than 150 kW. Where duly justified on the grounds of extraordinary circumstances, that one-year period may be extended by up to one year.
Member States shall ensure that applicants have easy access to simple procedures for the settlement of disputes concerning the permit-granting process and the issuance of permits to build and operate renewable energy plants, including, where applicable, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
6
Member States shall facilitate the repowering of existing renewable energy plants by ensuring a simplified and swift permit-granting process. The length of that process shall not exceed one year.
Where duly justified on the grounds of extraordinary circumstances, such as on grounds of overriding safety reasons where the repowering project impacts substantially on the grid or the original capacity, size or performance of the installation, that one-year period may be extended by up to one year.
7
The deadlines established in this Article shall apply without prejudice to obligations under applicable Union environmental law, to judicial appeals, remedies and other proceedings before a court or tribunal, and to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including complaints procedures, non-judicial appeals and remedies, and may be extended for the duration of such procedures.
8
Member States may establish a simple-notification procedure for grid connections for repowering projects as referred to in Article 17(1). Where Member States do so, repowering shall be permitted following notification to the relevant authority where no significant negative environmental or social impact is expected. That authority shall decide within six months of receipt of a notification whether this is sufficient.
Where the relevant authority decides that a notification is sufficient, it shall automatically grant the permit. Where that authority decides that the notification is not sufficient, it shall be necessary to apply for a new permit and the time-limits referred to in paragraph 6 shall apply.