According to the court, Lillpitekraft Aktiebolag has been producing hydroelectric power at the Råbäcken and Lillpite plants since the late 1980s. The company applied for revocation of permits and removal of the facilities, which has now been granted. The background for the application is lack of profitability for the facilities and requirements for large investments to comply with conditions for constructing fish passages.
The court decides that the two power plants in the Lillpite River are to be removed. However, some parts of the facilities will remain even after the removal, though which specific parts is not yet known. The timeline for the removal of the power plants has also not been specified.
A question we have considered has been whether the removal could cause landslides along the riverbank. It has previously been established that the slopes are not stable in the area, and we have therefore prescribed certain protective measures to prevent landslides and collapses.
In the ruling, the court applied new rules for environmental adaptation of Swedish hydropower by prescribing modern environmental conditions in accordance with EU requirements. All power plants in Sweden are to be reassessed according to a national plan. There are hopes that removal of the migration barriers, the power plant dams, will benefit fish and other aquatic organisms in the Lillpite River.
The court has prescribed certain protective measures to prevent landslides and collapses, as the slopes in the area are not stable. Judge Jon Karlsson stated, "A question we have considered has been whether the removal could cause landslides along the riverbank. " The exact nature of these protective measures has not been detailed.