Illa backs PLATER as Alcarràs solar park opens

President Salvador Illa has said the Generalitat will press ahead with PLATER, Catalonia's sectoral territorial plan for wind and photovoltaic electricity generation, while seeking dialogue and agreement with municipalities. The position was set out during a visit to Alcarràs, in Segrià, where 300 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity operated by Solaria and Ignis has entered service.

For residents and farmers in Alcarràs, the project brings a major change to land use and has prompted local opposition over the development's planning and environmental effects. A judge in Lleida is investigating the processing of permits for eight adjoining solar parks promoted by Solaria and Ignis.

“The Government will take the decisions it has to take. It cannot afford to stop,” Illa said, adding: “We do not have oil, but we do have sun and wind.”

Illa described the Alcarràs installation as Catalonia's largest photovoltaic park and said renewable projects can coexist with agriculture if their locations are chosen carefully. He compared their visual effect on the landscape with that of reservoirs built in previous decades.

Alcarràs capacity is set to reach 400 MW

Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition Minister Sílvia Paneque said a further 100 MW is expected to begin construction from 2027, taking the Alcarràs complex to 400 MW. The capacity now in operation consists of 200 MW from Solaria and 100 MW from Ignis.

300 MW is operating in the first half of the year, according to Paneque.
A further 100 MW is planned from 2027.
Solaria has invested €105 million in its installation, the company said.

Paneque said the Generalitat plans a new approach next year to allow energy from the site to be stored in batteries. Illa said battery installations could extend the availability of stored energy by up to four hours after sunset.

“It is worth reaching an understanding,” Paneque said, arguing that renewable development can combine “ambition, scale and agreement”.

Lleida judge orders inquiry into permit processing

The Court of First Instance No 1 in Lleida has opened preliminary proceedings into whether three senior Generalitat officials and the companies Solaria and Ignis committed offences of misconduct in public office and fraud during the authorisation process for eight neighbouring photovoltaic parks in Alcarràs.

According to the court proceedings reported by Segre, the eight parks cover 656 hectares, have a combined capacity of nearly 400 MW and are to use the same electricity evacuation line. The judge has requested the Generalitat's case files and ordered the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's regional police, to investigate the facts and examine the documentation.

No one has been summoned as a person under investigation, according to the court report. At Illa and Paneque's visit, about 15 protesters called by Lleida contra la MAT, Plataforma l'Horta de Lleida and Pobles Vius demonstrated outside the facility, alleging unlawful fragmentation of the project.

Reported by regio7.cat, ara.cat, elperiodico.com, segre.com, Lleida.com, Diari ARA, La Ciutat, CatalunyaPress.cat, El Nacional (CA), catalunyapress.es, cronicaglobal.cat, Regió 7.