- Last October, the Spanish Supreme Court issued a final judgment to close one of the two thermal power plants of the Elerebro company in Castejón, which has not yet been complied with, according to a press conference denounced by several social groups and lawyers that carry the matter. As a result, the plant continues to operate. The platform Ribera + Centrales No and the Real Estate Foundation have accused the provincial and municipal authorities of being complicit in this illegal situation.
It is noted that the construction of the plant was authorized in 2005 by the Spanish Government, in disregard of the existing environmental legislation. In addition to not respecting the minimum distance of 2,000 meters from the communal area, it is emphasized that the environmental impact study of the project had several defects.
The plant to be closed is the third one built in Castejón and the second in Elerebro (Iberdrola owns the other). According to Ribera + Centrales No and the Real Estate Foundation, “Castejón is a clear example of understanding the ‘organized disorganization’ of the Spanish electrical system”. The dagolas with a total installed power of 110,000 megawatts in the Spanish State have been recalled, although at times of greater demand around 35,000 are not used.
Several groups and citizens of the region began a judicial struggle when they authorized the construction of the third plant in Castejón, the final result of which was the Supreme Court’s closing ruling in October. However, this sentence is still pending three and a half months later. Ribera + Centrales No and the Real Estate Agency have asked the governments of Navarre and Spain to immediately close the plant and have also asked to reconsider the permits of other plants operating in Castejón.