Gillian Keller
ALCUDIA’S Murterar centre, the most polluting power station in Mallorca, is up for debate in Madrid, with local governments hoping for its closure.
The coal plant is on Spain’s list of ten worst facilities with the largest greenhouse gas emissions.
Marc Pons, minister of land and energy, visited Madrid on Monday to ensure support in closing the hazardous operation.
The government aims to close the first two sections of Murterar coal centre in 2020, and the final two in 2025.
Initially the natural gas plants of Son Reus and Cas Tresorer will be able to take Murterar’s energy load as both are currently under used. Solar energy projects are also in government conversations, which many hope will become a larger source of Mallorca’s energy over the next decade.
Minister Pons also hopes new smaller renewable energy sources start to arise with governmental aid.
The downsides to the coal plant closure is the loss of a stable job for around 500 people, along with the expense of natural gas energy compared to coal. The expense problem is a large part of why Pons is urging for the closure to be systematically carried out alongside the construction of solar parks.
The recently signed Paris Climate Agreement ensures that the plant will be closed by 2050, although all parties agree it will be sooner.
