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Date Published: 07/08/2024

Planning refused for 2 Murcia solar plants as they endanger wildlife

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The Fuente Álamo sites would destroy the habitats of threatened bird species

Planning refused for 2 Murcia solar plants as they endanger wildlife

Two proposed solar plants in the Fuente Álamo area of southwest Murcia have been denied planning permission due to concerns over their potential negative impact on wildlife in the area.

The projects, named 'Yubarta' and 'Piranha', were proposed by the Italian multinational company Enel Green Power, a renewable energy subsidiary of Endesa.

The first project, 'Yubarta', involved a 25-megawatt (MW) solar complex with an estimated investment of 20 million euros. It was planned to occupy a total area of 69.11 hectares in Fuente Álamo, with additional electrical infrastructure in nearby Murcia and Torre Pacheco.

However, the Department of the Environment of the Region of Murcia identified significant negative environmental impacts, particularly on bird habitats, and concluded that the project was “unviable” in the proposed location.

The final decision, published on Tuesday August 6, rejected the project because it is in “an area rich in birdlife, part of which is protected, and that in general these are species that are under significant pressure due to the progressive disappearance of the habitats necessary for them to develop and complete their biological cycle.”

The second project, 'Piranha', was also a 25-MW solar installation with a budget of 22 million euros. It was planned for the same municipality, Fuente Álamo, spanning approximately 87.13 hectares.

Once again, the regional authorities determined that the project would likely cause significant negative environmental effects, particularly on the habitats of protected bird species like steppes, making it unviable in the proposed location.

Enel Green Power has several other projects planned for the Region of Murcia, including a large solar plant in Fuente Álamo and another project in La Unión, with investments totalling 80 million euros.

However, these two denied projects highlight the importance of carefully considering the potential environmental impact of renewable energy developments and ensuring that they do not endanger local wildlife.

In other news: Five white storks electrocuted on Murcia power lines

Images: Enel/BORM

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