on the high-voltage power line from Bescanó to Baixas

The arguments of « Red eléctrica española », the Spanish government and the industry department of the Catalan government to build up a high voltage power line of 4oo KV from Bascanó to Baixas.

• The power needs of the new high-speed train from Barcelona to Perpinyan, that can’t work with a power line of 220 KV

• Assure the quality and continuity of the power distribution in Girona’s area

• The raise of the energy needs of the new residential and industrial areas of Girona

Why do the Greens oppose this high voltage power line?

• This high voltage power line of 400 KV is a proposal adopted many years ago. It is a decision adopted in the context of a centralised energetic model, which has no respect for environment especially when producing energy. 

• There is a kind of mistrust of the alternative ways of producing energy.

• Those two considerations and lacks intend to be corrected with this high voltage power line of 400 KV. This line intends to be the final solution of the power necessities of Girona, Barcelona and the raise of the power consumption in the area.

• The arguments that want to justify the construction of this power line as a necessary condition of the construction of the high-speed train are rather weak. All the considerations previously mentioned need to be analysed deeply considering the real energy needs of the high-speed train. This analysis has not been realised.

• The high speed train can’t be used as an excuse to develop with any kind of analysis new infrastructures that have a great environmental and social impact.

• The energetic problems of Girona are also a consequence of the damaged existing low and middle voltage lines. This damage is a direct consequence of the lack of investment and maintenance of those lines. The improvement of those lines is something that needs to be done independently of the debate on the high-voltage power lines.

• If the production and distribution of energy are not rationalized, regulated and democratised, there will always be a risk of collapse caused by overproduction. 

• A lot of majors and regional councillors in the north of Catalonia are against this project, together with many citizen institutions and associations. On the French side, all the majors of the south of the Roussillon and the Vallespir areas, the regional council and many citizen associations oppose this project too. There is an important opposition to this project on the two sides of the border.

The alternatives of the Greens

• The Greens demand a non-centralised energetic model with an increasing presence of renewable energies.

• We need first to analysis the quantity of energy needed by the high-speed train. It would be absolutely possible for the high-speed train to work with power from Figueres and Maçanet with two combined cycle power plants of 100MW each one. Two reasons could justify the construction of these two power plants: first, the power produced could not be more than the needs of the high-speed train, because this is a non-renewable energy. The second condition would be to build up these power plants next to an industrial area in order to use the thermic energy generated that could justify the use of the gas. These two power plants would be constructed for the high-speed train, and because of that they will not count in the emissions fixed in the Kyoto protocol.

• Following the energetic plan of the Catalan government until the year 2010, to assure the energetic needs of the Girona area we need to raise the energy production by about 44 MW. This can absolutely be done with eolic energy, biomass energy and with the improvement of the middle voltage existing lines.

• A new energy culture needs to have as priorities efficiency and saving. The new energetic sources have to be renewable.

• We want as a priority the local production, which is more efficient and safe. 

• The Girona area needs a new energetic model, non-centralised and in transition. A model where renewable energies are very important.

• More information and transparency is needed about this project, and major democratic citizen participation in order to take decisions with such territorial, economic and energetic importance.

• For these reasons, the European Greens oppose this high voltage line of 400 KV form Baixas to Bescanó.