Tenerife and Gran Canaria unite against new fossil fuel plants in residential areas
Several environmental and residents’ groups in Tenerife and Gran Canaria have joined forces to oppose plans for new propane and diesel plants on the islands, citing concerns about their proximity to homes and the risks they pose to both public safety and the environment.
The alliance brings together the citizen platform Stop Propane Plant in Salinetas — made up of Turcón-Ecologistas en Acción, Salto a la Transición Ecológica, and the Meclasa Neighbourhood Association — along with the Neighbourhood Platform of Los Realejos in Tenerife.
Representatives met on 29th August (Friday) in Telde, where energy company DISA intends to build a propane plant just 200 metres from residential housing.
In Los Realejos, opponents warn that another proposed plant by the same company would be located less than 35 metres from homes, while a separate project by SAMPOL aims to establish a diesel-powered generation plant around 175 metres from populated areas.
The groups agreed to draw up a joint roadmap to coordinate opposition efforts, highlighting similarities in the projects and their approval processes. They have also requested a meeting with the Canary Islands President, Fernando Clavijo.
In their statement, the platforms argue that these facilities present a “danger” due to the storage of highly pressurised fuel and the potential risks of leaks, fire, or explosion. They also point to noise, air pollution, and significant emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter as threats to nearby residents’ health.
They further stress that these projects are against to the Canary Islands’ decarbonisation goals and the global climate targets set out in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The companies involved, DISA and SAMPOL, argue that the installations are necessary to prevent future blackouts in the islands’ isolated energy systems. However, opponents say this justification ignores the underlying causes of past outages and fails to consider “less damaging and more sustainable alternatives.”
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