In his capacity as a specialist geotechnical consultant engaged by Minova International Ltd, Dr Mothersille travelled to Greece to inspect a major slope failure at Mesochoras Dam, some 190 km northwest of Athens. He was joined by Mr Esteban Gutierrez (Minova – Sales Support Infrastructure UK & Ireland), and the visit was hosted by construction products supplier P. Tsakas Ltd, which acted as the primary point of contact between the project’s parties.
The failure involved extensive rock mass detachment on the southwest flank of the excavated slope, immediately upstream of the Powerhouse complex at the Mesochoras Hydroelectric Plant (HEP), in the upper Acheloos cascade near the village of Glistra. In the main event, the outer sub-unit of the slope, the section closest to the Powerhouse entrance, collapsed entirely.
The three-day visit began at P. Tsakas’s head office in Athens, with an introduction to the company hosted by Evita P. Tsakas, Ilektra P. Tsakas and their father, Pavlos Tsakas (P. Tsakas being a family-owned business).
On the second day, Dr Mothersille and Mr Gutierrez were joined by Evita Tsakas for the five-hour drive to Mesochoras Dam, where they met representatives of PPC, the dam’s owner. The slope failure had occurred in November 2025 in weathered karstic limestone. Following a walkover of the site, Dr Mothersille presented options for rehabilitating the slope to the assembled parties, who included engineering geologists and senior members of PPC’s design team.
On the third day, Dr Mothersille and Mr Gutierrez gave a joint presentation to GeoSysta, a major Athens-based geotechnical design consultancy. The presentation focussed on ground anchor technology, Minova’s products and supply capabilities, and potential solutions for stabilisation works at Mesochoras HEP.
Minova and Dr Mothersille anticipate a key role in providing technical advice and supplying geotechnical products for the stabilisation works.
Slope failure at Mescohoras HEP, Greece
Dr Mothersille joins key members of the project team on site
Dr Mothersille talks through potential slope stabilisation methods to Mr Chrysanthos Steiakakis (CEO of GeoSysta, Athens)
Dr Mothersille and Mr Esteban Gutierrez enjoy a traditional Greek meal with Evita, Ilektra and Pavlos (the family owners of construction products supplier P.Tsakas)