Alcanena | Municipal Assembly rejects Very High Voltage Line project

The Alcanena Municipal Assembly, meeting in an extraordinary session on March 27, approved a motion to reject the proposed route for the Very High Voltage Line – Lavos-Rio Maior Line – which crosses five parishes in the municipality of Alcanena, along 20km. The City Council considers that there are no conditions to accept the project’s layout, considering it to have a “major impact” on the municipality. The project is under public consultation until April 3, Wednesday.

In a statement, it is stated that the Municipal Assembly of Alcanena, supported by the position of the executive of the Municipal Council, “vehemently rejects the implementation of the «Linha Lavos – Rio Maior» project, which crosses the territory of our municipality for a length of around 20km. , passing through five of our parishes/parish unions, even disregarding the recommendation that in the “definition of routes for new very high voltage lines (LMAT), (…) these should preferably coincide with “Linear Corridors”, as existing or approved”.

“We are aware that this is a crucial moment in order to avoid an initiative that will have a very negative impact on our municipality, on multiple levels. If we do not benefit from the opportunity that the Public Consultation gives us, if the process is approved by the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology, it will be very difficult to make REN back down”, can be read in the approved motion.

“After analyzing the document with registration number 202407103, dated March 25, 2024, we found that the entire process involving the aforementioned project was unbalanced, as CM Alcanena collaborated with REN with high availability, but did not obtain information clear and complete, as “there was no formal presentation of the project”.

In addition, the following factors justify this position, which are explained in the aforementioned document:

1. Lack of fundamental opinions, namely from ICNF, PNSAC, CIMT;
2. Interference in urban and agricultural areas;
3. Passing through areas prone to the possible occurrence of natural risks;
4. Interference with natural values ​​and biodiversity;
5. Increased visual intrusion and alteration of the landscape;
6. Crossing areas with cultural heritage;
7. Affectation of water resources;
8. Interference in ongoing projects, namely the “Espinheiro Green Lab”;
9. Interference with the access of air rescue equipment;
10. Interference in the operation of essential infrastructures and priority operations of AQUANENA – Empresa Municipal de Águas e Saneamento, EM, SA Recognizing the importance of this type of infrastructure, being aware that they must exist, we call for a negotiation that could eventually make its implementation viable of this project, safeguarding the interests and well-being of our municipality”.

Having said that, the Alcanena Municipal Assembly approved the rejection motion, which determines “a) Reject the proposed route of the LMAT for the municipality of Alcanena; b) Recommend to the Municipal Council of Alcanena that it continues, on behalf of the Municipality, by all procedural means, namely to initiate legal proceedings and others that it deems appropriate, to oppose the construction of the Lavos – Rio Maior line, and, as well , either alone or together with the population, use all legal means at their disposal, with a view to preventing the implementation of the aforementioned section of the high voltage line”.

To the same extent, it considers other actions, listing: “c) If necessary, take all relevant legal measures in light of the challenge to the Environmental Impact Statement; d) Send this Motion and the result of its vote by this Assembly to the Government (namely the Ministers and Secretaries of State for Energy, Economy, Health and the Environment), the APA, the Parliamentary Groups of the Assembly of the Republic and the Council of REN Administration). e) Recommend to the Presidents of parish councils and parish unions, in collaboration with the executive and municipal technicians, the holding of information sessions with the population”.

It should be noted that the municipality warns of the fact that the project, covering a length of around 72 km, “almost entirely” crosses the municipality of Alcanena, “over a length of almost 20 km”.

“The Environmental Impact Study should have evaluated other route options, based on objective sustainability criteria, which was not carried out. The option of using existing lines by promoting their duplication appears to be an important strategy to minimize interference with people, natural heritage and cultural heritage. This was not considered in this case, as it could have reinforced the lines connecting Rio Maior – Pego and Pego – Batalha. The conditions to accept the proposed route are not met, with a major impact on our municipality”, highlights the City Council.

It should be noted that the Public Consultation of the Project “Linha Lavos – Rio Maior 1, at 400KV” is underway, the section between support 129 and the Rio Maior substation – Very High Voltage Line. The deadline for participating in the public consultation ends on April 3, Wednesday.