The Minister of Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, Mariano Hernández Zapata, encouraged on Thursday to establish a «lobby palmero» in the Parliament of the Canary Islands to defend the island’s electrical security.
In response to questions from CC and PSOE in a parliamentary committee, he also called for moving away from «battles between companies» when taking responsibility for power outages and seeking «effective and clear solutions.»
In this regard, he expressed his desire for the Ministry of Ecological Transition to award the refurbishment works of the Los Guinchos thermal power plant in Breña Alta as soon as possible, as some production groups date back to 1972.
The minister emphasized the «obsolescence» of the plant and distribution networks but not the production, as Los Guinchos can generate up to 95 megawatts when the island’s demand is around 45 megawatts.
He mentioned that «the energy issue requires everyone’s support» as La Palma has been plagued by power outages and intermittent cuts «for decades.» This is why, among other things, the electrical secrecy of the autonomous community has been modified to ensure that sanctions are effective and not just for show.
The minister also appreciated Endesa’s deployment of an action plan, proposed by his department, to ensure supply during the ‘Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves’. While waiting for the final reports, he explained that the recent power outage was due to the failure of a group and the inability of the others to compensate for that cut.
He emphasized that companies will have to pay fines «if it is their responsibility» and expressed his desire that «these situations do not happen again.»
Zapata, acknowledging that his team will never «use power outages as a weapon,» praised the companies for restoring electrical infrastructure after the eruption. He remains optimistic about the island’s planning, including the planned substation in the south and awaiting an agreement for the Los Guinchos-Valle line, as well as the potential of geothermal development.
José Javier Pérez Llamas (CC) admitted that the power outage was expected after a long history of electrical cuts on the island since 2005 due to the lack of necessary investments and the absence of short-term solutions.
CC ASKS FOR «DECISIVENESS» FROM THE CANARY ISLANDS GOVERNMENT
He warned that «people do not understand this language,» referring to the causes of power outages or disputes between companies; «they only understand that the lights have gone out across the entire island.» He urged to «demand accountability decisively» as La Palma cannot continue «waiting.»
He agreed with Zapata on working «united» for the island, regardless of political «color,» and urged the minister to demand «vehemently» from the regional government «and whoever it may be» to implement «a solution.»
Alicia Vanoostende (PSOE) requested to «demonstrate» the obsolescence of the generation equipment to determine the appropriate measures. She also joked about the «significant problem» La Palma faces now when in 1893, Santa Cruz de La Palma was the sixth city in the world to have electricity supply.
Furthermore, she encouraged deputies to «decide» what kind of island they want in terms of energy, whether «an island of the 21st century burning fuel or transitioning» to renewables, and urged Palmero politicians to stand «united» and «without blaming each other or dodging responsibility, working together to solve the problem.»
