A project for the geological storage of CO2 in Maestrazgo has ignited the debate in Teruel. The initiative involves injecting large volumes of carbon dioxide into deep formations located beneath the municipalities of Cantavieja, Mirambel, Tronchón, La Cañada de Benatanduz and Villarluengo, occupying an area of about 13.534 hectares according to the files consulted.
The proposal, promoted by Iberia Decarb Hub Aragón (vehicle linked to Nexwell Power), is located in public information phase following the resolution signed in mid-July and its subsequent publication in the BOA. In parallel, various political parties and groups have expressed their reservations and rejections, while the Government of Aragon ensures that the file will be evaluated with scrupulous technical and environmental rigor.
What exactly does the project propose?
The promoter company proposes a permanent CO2 storage in deep geological structures, after being transported from other facilities by pipeline or truck. The released documentation cites a potential capacity of around 100 million tonnes, which would place it among the largest projects proposed in Spain.
According to the information processed, the study area covers 13.534 hectares and focuses on five municipalities in the Maestrazgo region of Teruel. Although the administrative scope is delimited, some actors in the territory warn that the The condition could spread underground to neighboring areas if the initiative is successful.
The plan is part of the technologies of carbon capture and storage (CCS), a debated instrument in the climate transition that has both supporters and opponents depending on its specific application, safety, costs, and territorial relevance.
Processing, deadlines and controls
The General Directorate of Energy and Mines has publicized the research permit application, opening a period of two months for Applicant improvements, competing offers and oppositions of potentially affected third parties, as provided for in applicable regulations.
Once the concurrence is resolved, the possible research permit could extend up to five years, a period in which the company should undertake studies, tastings and prospecting under technical and environmental supervision. Once this phase is completed, the concession to execute the storage would correspond to the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the body that has the last word.
The Aragonese Executive has stressed that the processing responds to a legal obligation to admit applications and subject them to proceedings, and that any decision will be based on technical reports, with exhaustive verifications of compliance with current environmental regulations.
Position of the Government of Aragon
President Jorge Azcón has stated doubts about suitability to locate a project of these characteristics in the Maestrazgo, although he has stressed that it is up to the Technical and not for politicians to determine its viability. He promised an analysis with "absolute caution" and a meticulous review of requirements; if environmental requirements are not met in detail, he said, the project will not go ahead.
For her part, Vice President Mar Vaquero recalled that the request is in public exhibition and that the Autonomous Community will act as guardian of compliance of the regulations. He has insisted on maintaining a ongoing dialogue with city councils of the affected area to ensure that any progress is made with the greatest possible consensus.
Political and social reactions in the territory
The Aragonese Party, with Alberto Izquierdo at the front, has communicated its total opposition and has asked the regional government to use all legal means to oppose the research permit. In his statements, Izquierdo maintains that the project does not generate local wealth and which involves introducing gaseous waste from other communities.
Chunta Aragonesista has also shown frontal rejectionIts territorial secretary, Javier Carbó, has warned of risks of leaks and conditions to aquifers and ecosystems, and has described the proposal as short-sighted because it prolongs dependence on fossil fuels. As an alternative, CHA proposes promote protection figures for the eastern mountains of Teruel and guide development towards the ecotourism and environmental services.
From the citizen movement Teruel exists a package of is prepared allegations to make available to municipalities, groups and individuals. Its spokespersons question the project scale, long-term security and the processing model, and warn of the risk of turning the Maestrazgo into a "sacrifice territory" in the face of large-scale industrial projects.
Critical arguments include that the promoter company is a company vehicle linked to a foreign energy group and that the procedure, they claim, could rely on the Mining Law to speed up phases; an extreme that the group considers inappropriate for a industrial facility of these characteristics.
Scope and sensitive points identified by the territory
The five municipalities directly referred to in the file are Cantavieja, Mirambel, Tronchón, La Cañada de Benatanduz and Villarluengo. Local groups emphasize that, although the administrative grids total about 13.534 hectares, in the underground there are no borders, which is why it is requested to study in detail possible interactions with neighboring terms.
Another repeated issue is the processing routeCritical spokesmen point out that if the procedure is framed as mining activity for the research permit, public consultations could be reduced in later phases. They therefore demand the maximum transparency and that any future authorization must undergo strict environmental assessments as an industry on non-urbanizable land.
Social entities such as the Platform for the Landscapes of Teruel They have celebrated the growing institutional coordination in the face of this project and recall that arguments for land mortgage They should also be applied to other macro-projects planned in the same region, due to their landscape and socio-economic impact.
How can citizens participate?
Anyone who considers themselves affected has a two month term since the publication in the BOA to present allegations, propose improvements or submit alternative offers. This is the key procedural moment for neighborhood, city councils and entities Please send your comments and supporting documentation.
The allegations may incorporate technical criteria (geology, hydrogeology, risks), considerations environmental (biodiversity, landscape), and elements socio-economic (development model, compatibility of uses). Groups such as Teruel Existe have announced that they will make standard texts available to town councils and residents to facilitate participation.
After the public information phase, if the permit is granted research permit, would begin a period of study of up to five years under administrative controlIn any case, the eventual definitive storage permit corresponds to the MITECO, with prior reports and strict conditions.
The Maestrazgo faces a decision that combines Climate ambition, environmental security and territorial modelThe process continues through technical and legal channels, and community engagement tools are working to influence the outcome. The choice made will impact the compatibility between large CO2 storage and the vision of the future that the region desires for itself.
