La Teixeiro biogas plantThe project, promoted by the company Norbiogás in the municipality of Curtis in A Coruña, has become one of the most talked about energy projects of the region. Declared a strategic initiative by the Xunta de Galicia, the facility has raised concerns among some residents and put the main local opposition parties on a war footing.
Beyond the technical debates on biomethane production, the focus is now on the discomforts that the large plant could cause and in the management of information by the administrations. The BNG and PSOE groups in Curtis accuse the Xunta and the municipal government of "opacity" and demand an in-depth public debate before the project takes irreversible steps.
A strategic project that raises concerns in Curtis
The planned plant in Teixeiro is designed as a large capacity facility for the treatment of organic waste, especially sludge and slurry from livestock farms in different parts of Galicia. The stated objective is to valorize these wastes to produce biogas and other by-products, in line with European circular economy policies.
However, the municipal opposition highlights the possible negative consequences for the nearby populationAmong the main complaints are the fear of the emergence of bad smells, the increasing traffic of heavy trucks loaded with waste and the risk of environmental damage if the plant is not managed with all the necessary safeguards.
The BNG in Curtis emphasizes that a [unclear] has already occurred in the municipality. proliferation of these types of industries linked to waste treatment and energy production, which, they claim, increases doubts among residents. The group maintains that, without complete and transparent information from the Administration, it is difficult to assess the real impact the new plant may have. In other areas, proliferation of biogas plants It has also generated social rejection.
Furthermore, the nationalists point to a problem with the development model. In their view, these projects represent a new way of using the land where large companies reap profits while the local council bears the environmental burden, waste, and inconvenience, without a proportional return for the local economy. Cases of controversy over lack of permits demonstrate this. environmental and administrative burden that some projects may concentrate.
The PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) in Curtis shares many of these criticisms and is demanding explanations from the mayor, Javier Caínzos. The party's general secretary in the municipality, Fernando Rey Leira, is asking for detailed information. how the neighborhood might be affected due to the plant's activity and believes there is still "time" to clarify doubts and review the scope of the project.
Treatment capacity and employment: an equation in question
One of the most debated points is the size of the plant. According to data from opposition groups, Norbiogás expects to treat around 150.000 tons of waste per year in Teixeiro. This volume places the installation in the macroplant categoryThis reinforces concerns about the impact on the immediate environment.
Given this magnitude, critics of the project believe that Direct job creation is very limitedEstimates place the plant's creation at between 10 and 20 jobs, a figure the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) considers insufficient to justify the increased traffic, the potential rise in odors, and the negative impacts on the landscape and the local environment. In other developments, the true impact has been debated in relation to the volume of investment.
The socialists also point out that Similar projects have been rejected in other areas of Galicia due to pressure exerted by residents. They cite as examples the cases of A Laracha and the A Limia region, where public opposition managed to halt initiatives similar to those now being proposed in Curtis. There are precedents of administrations that have even stopped initiatives in the face of public mobilization, as in Navarra.
In this context, the municipal opposition accuses the local government and the Xunta of betting on a model in which economic benefits They focus on the companies promoting the projects, while the receiving region bears most of the burden. For the BNG and PSOE parties, this logic contributes to fueling discontent among the population and increasing opposition to the project.
The discussion about the balance between economic return and environmental burden has thus become one of the central themes of the debate around the Teixeiro biogas plant. Citizens demanding more information want to know exactly what environmental safeguards are in place, how odors will be controlled, and what measures are planned to minimize the impact of truck traffic. The increased tension surrounding other projects underscores the need for environmental guarantees and assessments clear.
Complaints of opacity and demands for public information
The most frequent complaint from opposition parties is the lack of transparency in the processing and dissemination of the projectBoth the BNG and the PSOE insist that the local community has not received sufficient information about the plant's technical specifications, its potential risks, or the planned oversight mechanisms. The controversy surrounding other projects regarding requests to revoke guarantees demonstrates the importance of [the relevant information]. transparency in the process.
The BNG of Curtis asserts that the “expansion” of this type of industry in the municipality, and particularly in the Teixeiro area, It is happening without clear processes of participation.This increases distrust. For nationalists, the lack of detailed explanations from the regional and local administrations reinforces the feeling that the project is being pushed through "through the back door." In similar cases, local mobilization has been key, as in other municipalities.
For its part, the PSOE demands that the mayor come forward and explain, in a format open to the public, What are the environmental and socioeconomic commitments? associated with the plant. The socialists insist that Curtis “still has time” to review the project's conditions or, if necessary, reconsider its implementation.
This climate of distrust is part of a general context in which, in different parts of Galicia and Europe, projects linked to biogas and waste treatment They spark conflicting opinions. While some administrations see them as a part of the energy transition and the circular economy, numerous neighborhood platforms demand strict controls and a greater role for local councils and the public in decision-making.
In the specific case of Teixeiro, the perception that the municipality is becoming a hub for waste projects It plays a key role. The feeling of saturation and the lack of balanced distribution of these types of facilities among Galician territories fuels criticism and serves as an argument for those who are calling for a halt to or review of the Norbiogás mega-plant's progress. Cases of neighborhood organizing show how protest networks are generated, such as that of other municipalities.
As the project process progresses, it is expected that the public debate continues to gain intensity and that the responsible authorities must detail more precisely how compliance with environmental regulations will be monitored, what specific benefits will remain in the municipality, and what role residents will play in overseeing the plant's operation. On occasion, the citizen consultation process has served to halt projects, as happened with one binding consultation.
The controversy surrounding the Teixeiro biogas plant brings to the forefront many of the tensions that affect the implementation of new energy infrastructures linked to waste treatmentThe search for more sustainable solutions clashes with the perception that some areas bear a disproportionate burden. In Curtis, the combination of a large-scale project, fears of foul odors and constant truck traffic, a sense of institutional opacity, and limited job creation has ignited a debate in which political parties, environmental groups, and local residents are demanding more information, greater participation, and a rethinking of the development model desired for the area and for Galicia as a whole.
