Last Thursday, Endesa dynamited the chimney of its Litoral Thermal Power Plant in Carboneras, Almeria, making significant progress in the controlled decommissioning process that will be completed in 2025.
Momento de la demolición de la chimenea. Fuente: elEconomista
This event not only symbolizes the closing of a chapter in the region’s energy history but, according to Rafael Sánchez Durán, Endesa’s general manager for Andalusia, Extremadura, Ceuta and Melilla, inaugurates a promising phase of development and prosperity, ensuring a sustainable future for the Carboneras community through reindustrialization initiatives.
The chimney demolition process
The technical challenge involved in the demolition was highlighted by the complexity of the structures involved. The impressive chimney, built of reinforced concrete and rising 200 meters, was brought down by 151 kg of explosives strategically placed at two different levels, a novel technique designed to bend the structure and minimize the impact of its fall. This meticulous planning made it possible to protect key infrastructure that was to remain operational during decommissioning.
It is important to point out that just a moment before the implosion of the chimney, a crucial metal support structure was demolished, using 15 kg of dynamite. The precise coordination between the two demolitions generated approximately 13,000 tons of rubble, mainly concrete, which is handled according to rigorous environmental standards and circular economy principles.
Ending more than four decades of operations, the Litoral Thermal Power Plant went offline in 2021, initiating an ambitious decommissioning project that currently employs more than 200 professionals, most of them from the region, and promotes indirect employment. The demolition of the infrastructure and equipment associated with the plant, which is already 42% complete, represents an investment of more than 83 million euros.
In addition to its economic impact, the decommissioning process includes an important educational and social dimension, with training programs in renewable technologies that have benefited more than 250 people, facilitating their insertion in the renewable energy sector. These initiatives are part of a broader effort to ensure that the energy transition directly benefits the local community.
Endesa and its dismantling process
In the context of its environmental commitment, Endesa has implemented selective demolition practices for more efficient waste management. more efficient waste management, contributing to a contributing to a European study on circular economy that seeks to optimize the recovery of valuable materials. This effort underscores the importance of adopting innovative approaches to waste management and resource reuse.
The Litoral Thermal Power Plant, a pillar in Spain’s energy production during its useful life, distinguished itself for its significant contribution to economic development and for being at the forefront of environmental improvements. Its closure does not represent the end, but rather an opportunity to reinvent itself and continue contributing to progress from a sustainable perspective.
The transition to a more sustainable energy future in Carboneras is aligned with global efforts to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable development. This transition, symbolized by the controlled blasting of the Litoral Thermal Power Plant’s chimneynot only reflects a commitment to environmental protection, but also demonstrates how innovation and reindustrialization can generate new economic and employment opportunities, redefining the concept of progress in harmony with our environment.
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Source: eleconomista.es
Photo: shutterstock
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