The Institutional and Statutory Development Commission of the Cortes of Aragón has unanimously supported this Monday the proposal to "study alternatives for conservation, reuse, and enhancement of the thermal power plant of Escucha" and "develop, in parallel, a strategy for the enhancement of industrial heritage and initiatives for the development of cultural tourism in the Mining Basins, integrating the thermal power plant of Escucha into a possible itinerary or set of resources linked to the memory of coal and the energy transition."
The initiative, promoted by A-TE, also included other sections to "adopt the necessary legal and technical measures to oppose total demolition," "declare the thermal power plant of Escucha as a Cultural Heritage Asset," and "suspend municipal licenses for works and activities that may affect the property." These points have not prospered due to the rejection of PP and Vox and the abstention of PSOE.
In addition, this group has registered an 'in voce' amendment to add a new point by which "the Government of Aragón gets involved in the management of ownership and conservation, rehabilitation, and maintenance tasks from an administrative, legal, and economic perspective." Although the amendment has been accepted, it also did not advance in the final vote as it received votes against from PP and Vox.
In defense of the proposal, the A-TE deputy, Tomás Guitarte, emphasized that "the thermal power plant of Escucha constitutes one of the main exponents of the industrial heritage of Aragón linked to coal mining and the production of electricity in the Mining Basins," and that it has been "for decades a key element of economic and social development" of the area.
Guitarte has expressed his concern because "Repsol, the owning company, has received a construction license to proceed with the immediate demolition of the plant." In his opinion, "the demolition of the facility would mean the loss of a set of industrial heritage with high historical, ethnographic, and identity value."
Political debate on the future of the plant
From the PP, deputy Silvia Casas has reproached that Aragón-Teruel Existe "proposes very ambitious projects, demands responsibilities from others, and remains silent when it comes to financing." In her view, "resources are limited" and she has insisted that it is essential "to present how much the execution of the project costs."
The PSOE parliamentarian Darío Villagrasa has expressed his support for the initiative, although he has clarified that "there are issues from a legal point of view that need to be resolved before taking positions." In his opinion, "we believe that the only way for the plant to be preserved from a heritage perspective is for the Government of Aragon to get involved in the ownership."
On behalf of Vox, the deputy Carlos Andreu has defended that "we want the plant to serve Escucha again" and that "every euro invested must generate employment, activity, and local wealth." He emphasized that "heritage is not protected with propaganda but with a project that generates future."
From CHA, Mary Carmen Bozal has emphasized that the thermal power plant of Escucha is "a set that explains a fundamental part of the economic, social, and labor history of the province of Teruel." She indicated that "it belongs to its own soul" and admitted that "we are concerned about the uncertainty regarding the future of the complex."