The Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy, Mariano H. Zapata, announced this Thursday that the Government of the Canary Islands will assume the dismantling of the Montaña Mina wind farm after not receiving a response from the responsible entity within the legally required period, "with the consequent restoration of the land and ensuring respect for the environment in the process," he indicated.
On January 16, one of the park's five wind turbines, which had been inoperative since 2017, suffered a fall, causing the rupture of an electrical distribution line and leaving more than 2,000 users without electricity for five minutes.
Zapata announced in a parliamentary committee, after a question from the president of the Canarian Nationalist Group, David Toledo, that the Ministry is already working to initiate the procedures that guarantee the start of the dismantling works. He also commented on "the speed of action of the Ministry for the removal of this wind turbine and the restoration of the network as soon as possible."
In this sense, Zapata explained that after exhausting the legally established period by which the owner company, Energías Limpias Canarias SL, has been notified of its obligation to dismantle, "it should now be the Government that assumes the removal of the rest of the mills, in addition to the wiring, due to the lack of response from the promoter."
Regarding this park, the area's minister also recalled that it has been inactive since 2017 due to the end of its useful life and its production activity, explaining that these complexes "usually have a useful life of about 25 years." In this sense, he also emphasized the fact that "the previous Executive had not initiated the procedure for its dismantling, even though the City Council had warned of its danger on several occasions."
He also recalled that this will be a "complex" process that must be processed rigorously, respecting the law and, of course, "with the ultimate premise of respect for the environment." For which "the dismantling will contemplate the removal of the wind turbines, the attached wiring and also the restoration of the Montaña Mina land, to avoid the greatest possible impact, after the use of the land for 25 years." Preserving with it, as Zapata detailed, "the safety of users, flora, fauna, assets and the environment in this area and committing to fulfilling a historical demand of the area."
For his part, David Toledo expressed this Thursday in the parliamentary Commission of Ecological Transition and Environment, his concern for the state of the Montaña Mina wind farm and has expressed his confidence that the Canarian Executive "proceeds to its dismantling." Last January, the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy of the Canarian Government assured that it was going to dismantle it, after four requests from the City Council of San Bartolomé and the threat of going to the courts.
Toledo has asked the Executive to get rid of this wind farm "with the same effectiveness with which it has unblocked the new one" in San Bartolomé, known as El Monte. At the same time, he added that these facilities, which were authorized in the 2015-2019 legislature with Coalición Canaria in the Presidencies of the Government, are finally seeing the light, "after four years in the drawer of the Pacto de Las Flores."
"The regrettable blockage suffered by this vital installation for the island in the four years of government of the PSOE, has generated a significant cost for the people of Lanzarote, with a monthly expense of 45,000 euros in rent of deposits for the mills, reaching a total of more than 405,000 euros during the nine months of inactivity," he said.
He also stressed that "who has also pointed out that this stagnation also put at risk important financing destined to the island such as the 11 million euros of the FDCAN of the wind farm, the 14 million euros of the irrigation plan, the 6 million euros for the residence for the elderly and the million and a half of the small lot."
Thus, Toledo has highlighted "the rapid action of the Government of the Canary Islands", presided over by Fernando Clavijo, "which demonstrates a real commitment to the sustainable development and safety of our citizens."
"It is vital to recognize the work and commitment of this CC-PP government with the island of Lanzarote," Toledo declared, reiterating his commitment to continue closely monitoring the crucial issues for the well-being of the island, ensuring that he will remain attentive to the progress of these environmental initiatives.
