As Pontes gains momentum

Any tender process is complex. But when it involves a full dismantling —especially that of a massive structure like the As Pontes coal-fired power plant— the difficulty is almost guaranteed. But everything arrives in due time. Now, Lezama, the awarded contractor, is working around the clock. In just 365 days of execution, progress has already reached nearly 30%. By the time the dismantling is completed, roughly 400,000 tonnes of waste will have been recovered and almost entirely repurposed —most of it even given a second life— achieving virtually zero waste. 

This type of demolition is a true example of the circular economy. Still, it’s also a remarkable feat of coordination between manual and mechanical teams. In some areas, workers need to wield the cutting torch with surgical precision; in others, it’s all about the force of heavy machinery and the skill of its operators, knocking down walls as if slicing through butter. Then come the explosives, which accelerate progress at the same pace they intensify the sprint. An average of 120 workers ensures deadlines are met with mathematical rigour. Thanks to their constant effort —hour by hour, minute by minute— the landscape of the plant and of As Pontes is changing forever.        

But to understand how we got here —and to grasp the context of saying goodbye to this symbol of thermal generation— we need to go back to 27 December 2022, when a cargo ship, the Capricorn Sigma, unloaded 162,741 tonnes of coal from Indonesia at the port of Ferrol. That vessel —292 metres long and 45 metres wide, filled to the brim with coal— was the last to dock at the Caneliñas terminal to supply a facility that had been operating since the mid-1970s, when it became the largest plant of its kind in Spain. A giant with 1,468 MW of installed capacity, essential during that era for the industrial development of a country eager to embrace modernity. 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty around Europe’s gas supply caused a shift in plans: the consumption of fossil fuels slowed, and with two of its four units still in operation, the plant’s life was extended until the end of 2023. By then, the stabilisation of Eastern Europe’s geopolitical situation and the growing penetration of renewables in Spain’s energy mix marked the end of this fossil-fuel icon.

On 4 October 2023, an ordinary Wednesday, the operations manager at the time, Jesús Ferreño, walked anxiously through the control room. The stacker-reclaimers in the coal yard had scraped away the very last trace of coal —the last breath of the millions of tonnes (more than four million per year) that had been stored there to transform their enormous calorific power into electricity.

Staring at the real-time display showing the amount of energy flowing to the grid, Ferreño realised the boiler flame had gone out. The water would soon return to its liquid state, while the metre began to drop relentlessly to zero. It was goodbye. And even when you know the moment will come, you’re never fully prepared for it. As Pontes had already experienced change before —it went through the closure of the brown lignite mine, which led to the creation of the Penapurreira industrial park and kick-started business diversification in the municipality.

The day after the disconnection marked the beginning of the painstaking dismantling process, the legal requirement to clear the land so other industries can settle there. In the case of As Pontes, its logistical advantages —direct road links to central and northern Spain, plus a port just half an hour away— have attracted strong interest from companies across various sectors. 

However, before machinery and crews could enter the plant and begin the demolition, a process known as phase-out was carried out. This safety procedure includes disconnecting all the equipment that will later be dismantled or crushed. The goal is to ensure that when the dismantling team arrives to begin its work, the conditions are as safe as possible.

At the same time, Endesa launched its support plan, offering specialised training courses for this type of work and giving priority to unemployed local residents who had previously worked for contractors when the plant was operational. Everything was aligned for the moment where we began this story: the tender award for the dismantling contract and the start of an immense project that will take our breath away until 2029.