The biomass power plant in Ponferrada , located in the Compostilla neighborhood, has once again become the focus of public debate following a court ruling that has generated significant controversy in the city. The decision, issued by the Administrative Court No. 2 of León, suspends the future of the project and reopens the debate surrounding its permitting and operation.
In recent days, various neighborhood associations and environmental groups have celebrated this decision, which calls into question not only the legal viability of the plant , but also the political and economic management that has surrounded it since its inception. The court ruling highlights numerous administrative irregularities and reinforces demands for accountability at different institutional levels.
A resounding ruling: cancellation of permits and cessation of activity
The court ruling, issued this week, annuls for the second time all municipal permits granted to the biomass plant, including the building permit, the environmental permit, and the special authorization. The decision fully affects both the construction and any other activity carried out at the facility, forcing the Ponferrada City Council to halt all work related to the plant.
The court ruling, which upholds the appeal filed by the Compostilla Residents' Association and the environmental group Bierzo Aire Limpio, notes the recurrence of the same administrative irregularities that had already led to a previous annulment of the permits in 2020. Among the harshest points, the court notes that the local administration was fully aware of the project's true scope but limited legal coverage to the construction of the plant, deliberately excluding the district heating network that extends across much of the municipality.
This strategy, according to the ruling, allowed the public company Somacyl, responsible for operating the plant, to obtain a considerable reduction in the Construction and Works Tax (ICIO) . Thus, the tax was paid based on a budget of less than 800.000 euros, while the actual cost exceeded 2,1 million.
Deficiencies in public information and urban planning legality
One of the most significant aspects of the ruling is the lack of transparency and the concealment of information during the permit application process. The court emphasizes that citizens were hindered in accessing relevant documentation within the legally mandated timeframes, which prevented genuine and effective participation in the procedure.
It is also clear that the use of the urban subsoil to install the heating network required a specific permit , not a simple building license, as the City Council had processed. This intensive occupation of public land, without adequate legal authorization, reinforces the argument that the development was carried out de facto without regulatory support.
The lawyer VÃctor A. Bayón, representing the plaintiffs, emphasizes that the ruling annuls three municipal agreements and warns of the possible derivation of personal and political responsibilities, given the recidivism in the conduct that already motivated the first annulment.
The court ruling has also prompted an explicit request for a full audit of the European public funds invested in the power plant . The plaintiffs maintain that the facility, described as a "sinkhole for European funds," must be subject to maximum transparency and accountability to the people of El Bierzo.
The Compostilla Residents' Association demands that the current mayor of Ponferrada, Marco Morala, publicly acknowledge the irregularities committed over the years and not appeal the sentence, promoting an attitude of responsibility and transparency.
