The Eibar City Council has expressed its strong rejection of the Basalgo wind farm project following modifications proposed by the developer. The new plan includes three wind turbines in Eibar, one in Soraluze, and one in Bergara, setting the total park capacity at 24.95 MW. The main change addresses an objection from the Provincial Council of Bizkaia concerning safety distances to Udalaitz and Egyptian vulture refuges, which has been accepted by the Basque Government.
The initial documentation envisioned six wind turbines with a capacity of 28 MW. With the new plan, Eibar increases from two to three turbines, while Bergara reduces from three to one. The project is thus reduced from six to five wind turbines.
The mayor of Eibar, Jon Iraola, has stated his firm opposition: "This mayor is against the Basalgo wind farm, and my position has not changed. I still believe this project is not suitable for our municipality, and the modifications proposed by the developer do not alter my rejection of this installation." Iraola added, "Furthermore, it is particularly concerning that Eibar will have three wind turbines instead of two."
Eva Juez, the councilor for Environment, emphasized that the municipal stance remains unchanged: "The project has changed, but the reasons that led us to oppose it are still present. We will re-examine all documentation and continue to defend Eibar's interests during the processing."
The Eibar council had submitted allegations concerning territorial, landscape, environmental, and heritage impacts. The most significant change is the territorial distribution: Eibar will host one additional turbine, while Bergara reduces its count from three to one. Soraluze retains its initially planned turbine.
Luis Vicente Castellanos, councilor for Urban Planning, explained that the council is analyzing the new documentation to determine the scope of the modifications: "The modification fundamentally responds to an issue raised by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia regarding distances to Udalaitz and Egyptian vulture refuges. However, many of the concerns we raised from Eibar have yet to receive sufficient answers."
Castellanos considers it particularly relevant that the change in location does not resolve the other issues highlighted: "Changing the location of the wind turbines due to a specific impact does not mean that the other impacts we pointed out in our allegations have been resolved. We will review the project point by point and will re-raise those issues that we believe remain insufficiently addressed."
A significant concern for the council is that the new project continues to inadequately consider the Civil War battlefield in the area. The Basalgo area holds historical significance due to the combat that took place in and around Eibar, with remnants of defensive positions and the battlefield, forming part of the city's historical heritage and memory.
The Council believes that any such development must analyze not only its environmental and landscape impacts but also its potential effect on this historical heritage. Castellanos urges that this issue be adequately incorporated into the project's evaluation: "We are particularly concerned that the Civil War battlefield continues to lack the consideration we believe it deserves. We are talking about a space with historical and heritage value that must be identified, studied, and protected before undertaking actions that could affect the land."
Following the project modification, a new 30-day period for submitting allegations has opened. The Eibar City Council will analyze the documentation during this period and consider submitting new allegations. Mayor Jon Iraola stated that "we have 30 days to analyze the new documentation and submit new allegations. We will do so rigorously and with the same determination as before. Our obligation is to defend Eibar and ensure that any decision affecting our territory takes all its consequences into account."
The council maintains that as long as issues such as territorial, landscape, environmental impacts, and the protection of heritage related to the Civil War front remain inadequately addressed, the project continues to generate an impact that the Eibar City Council deems unacceptable for the municipality.
