"The possible construction of a reversible hydroelectric plant in Castrelo de Miño is received with caution. The project, promoted by the Cuerva group, proposes pumping water from the reservoir to a reservoir located on the Coto Novelle peak, from where it would return through a plant excavated in the subsoil. The production capacity of the new facilities would amount to 260 megawatts (MW). As these are underground works, the investment planned by Andalusian society exceeds 235 million euros.
The project, which is being processed by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco), has to “reflect a benefit” on the neighbors and the Council of Castrelo de Miño . This is the opinion of its mayor, the popular Avelino Pazos. “The energy must be clean. “Assessing that electricity is necessary, I care or applaud,” he comments, although he qualifies his words: “First of all, I want to feel the idea and opinion of two neighbors.” In this sense, he explains that he will position himself according to neighborhood sentiment . “You are in favor, you will be in favor; "If they are against it, we have to see what problems it can cause," he says.
Pazos emphasizes the social benefit that Castrelo de Miño must extract from the new facilities, bringing to light the “ derisory” economic contribution that the current reservoir leaves in the municipal coffers . “There must be positive discrimination for two residents of Castrelo de Miño. It can't be like now, when we are paying exorbitant prices for childbirth and we don't have any benefit for being a supporter of our council," he asserts. The councilor estimates at “around 50,000 euros per year” what the Council receives through the reservoir. “Calquera communal mountain that has a wind farm charges a lot more,” he laments.
A great work
The important works that should be undertaken are of concern among environmental groups . Serafín González, president of the Galician Society of Natural History , assesses the situation: “We should keep in mind how we want to do the project, but for the moment, a reserved prognosis.” According to his words, “in principle, it is not the most axit place, a land movement should be carried out in a vulnerable place.”
He highlights, first of all, that the actions at the Coto Novelle summit would be of “considerable dimensions . ” This, in an already deteriorated area: “Unfortunately, it suffered several fires.”
Ourense's rivers are the particular gold of electrical companies . The new use, still in the public consultation phase, would become the third potential hydroelectric plant in the province and the fourth in Galicia. All this, in a province that this year consolidated its national leadership in the production of this type of energy through 25 large hydraulic reservoirs.
“Ourense has already suffered a very important invasion at this time due to hydroelectric storms,” González points out: “It is incessant. This could be an additional hydroelectric installation with environmental impact to consider. “It should be endorsed.”
The hydroelectric plant generated 2,220 gigawatt hours only until May
The province's rivers continue to attract large renewable projects . The project of the Cuerva group, whose CEO is Gerardo Cuerva, president of Cepyme, is not the first to propose a large pumping plant in Ourense waters. In February, Miteco rejected a similar idea between the Salas and Conchas reservoirs, whose file dated back to 2008 and which anticipated a power of 380 megawatts. More recently, in 2021, a company from Córdoba began the procedures for another plant of this type between the Prada and San Fiz reservoirs, in Valdeorras.
While investors develop this type of projects, the province is consolidating itself as a national leader in hydroelectric production . This is demonstrated by the latest data published by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. Between the months of January and May, the Ourense turbines produced a total of 2,220 net gigawatt hours (GWh). A figure much higher than that of the second most prominent territory in this type of energy: Salamanca. There, hydraulics generated 1,901 GWh in the same accumulated year. Valencia is further away, with 1,148 GWh generated, and already below a thousand, Lugo (967) and Cáceres (946).
In the total count of the country, 13,705 GWh were produced in the first five months of the year. That is, Ourense accounted for 16% of all the energy coming from Spanish rivers ."
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