Source: Sardinia Region, 05/04/25
Twenty million euros. This is the amount of funding approved by the Regional Government through a resolution proposed by President Alessandra Todde. The funds are earmarked for complementary infrastructure interventions aimed at ensuring accessibility, safety, and operational efficiency at the Sos Enattos site in Lula, which is a candidate to host the Einstein Telescope.
Specifically, the interventions will involve the renovation of the Minghetti Dam, essential for improving water resource management in the area, and the upgrading of the access road to the ET-SUnLab research center, which will be built in the area of the former Ri.Mi.Sa. Additionally, improvements will be made to the road leading to the first of the three entrances to the underground structure (Vertex 1), in order to ensure optimal conditions for the transportation of materials and equipment, and to facilitate the movement of technical and scientific personnel.
«Thanks to these interventions», said President Alessandra Todde, «we are strengthening the candidacy of Sos Enattos by equipping the mining site with new infrastructure and restoring what already exists, all with the least possible environmental impact. These works are essential to convince decision-makers that ours is the best possible site for hosting the Einstein Telescope. In any case, they represent a significant investment for the development of the region».
Funding for both projects will come from the reprogramming of unspent funds from the 2000–2020 Development and Cohesion Plan of the Sardinia Region. The renovation of the Minghetti Dam will include the construction of a new access road to the dam, including a bridge over the Burra stream, the installation of a dual pipeline connecting to and from the ET site, extraordinary maintenance of the dam and related facilities, restoration of the bottom outlet, removal of sediment from the reservoir, and the securing of the guardhouse and its systems. The works are expected to follow a three-year timeline: planning and initial stages are scheduled by the end of 2026, with completion set for 2027.
As for the upgrade of the road leading to the research center and Vertex 1, the project includes modifications at the intersection with the roundabout on Provincial Road 73, the descent toward Vertex 1, construction of a link road to the Tupeddu Ramp entrance, connection to the second vertex and the former Ri.Mi.Sa. area, and the link to the road leading to the Minghetti Dam. In this case, planning and initial construction are also expected to begin by the end of 2026, with completion scheduled for 2028.
For the construction of the Einstein Telescope, a regional co-funding contribution of €350 million is already planned. The same resolution approved by the Regional Government, in accordance with the agreement signed on March 20 between the Region and institutional and territorial partners for the establishment of a multi-level governance structure, states that this contribution will be covered within the still unallocated resources of the agreement between the Italian Government and the Autonomous Region of Sardinia concerning public finance. Lastly, the resolution establishes that the dedicated project unit will prepare a communication and local engagement plan to enhance territorial involvement and to boost the visibility and support for the site’s candidacy.
«We believe in this project more than ever», President Todde concluded, «and as a Region, we will continue to make every effort to achieve this ambitious goal, for the future and redemption of the territory and of Sardinia as a whole».