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982 kilometres apart
Litoral Thermal Power Plant, Carboneras (Almería), April 2024. Debris removal work following the demolition of the chimney on 21 March, 2024.
The looks, focus, and sounds are the same 982 kilometres away. The climate changes; some work with more sunny days than others, but they may end up experiencing less heat. The "soundtrack" is based on the same rhythm —the sounds of blowtorches, hammers, electric screwdrivers, the noise of footsteps—, though the final melody is sweetened by the sound of sea waves on one side and the wind and rustle of branches on the other.
This is a choir of many voices and varied accents, from Andalusian with an 'Almerian' inflection to Castilian with a Bierzo accent. Yet all speak a common language, discussing that stubborn screw, how they found a piece of wall they remember having once repaired, or the story of what happened in that very spot, which is slowly disappearing, like pieces of a puzzle being taken apart.
We are in Carboneras (Almería), at the Litoral thermal power plant, in the midst of its decommissioning process. Its iconic chimney is no longer there; its parts are living a second life, recovered or donated to other entities like universities, museums, and fire stations —a second home for items that once formed part of this power plant, which was a true symbol as the first to implement significant measures to reduce emissions.
982 kilometres away, in Cubillos del Sil (León),we find the Compostilla thermal power plant, the very birthplace of Endesa. In a unique location that lived off coal for many decades, a major step is now being made towards the future. The Compostilla thermal power plant is gradually shedding its past, and its parts are also travelling across the country. Museums, universities, and various entities now host part of the heart of this power plant, to remember and continue to use equipment and elements that remain operational.
A view among the torn fabric in the decommissioned facilities.
While the two thermal power plants are separated by 982 kilometres, they are united by this final chapter of their history, now that they are both in the midst of their decommissioning process. Out of the more than 400 faces working on these processes today, an average of 70% come from these same areas, and many of them even worked at the power plants when they were operational. They work under strict safety measures, not only as skilled professionals but with an added factor —a profound respect for each piece being removed, since it was part of our country's energy history, and their own history.
The Litoral Thermal Power Plant
The Litoral Thermal Power Plant was built in 1979, so it has been in operation for over four decades. The decommissioning process started once Endesa powered down the plant in 2021. The plant was located on 1,788,547 square metres of land. The facility consisted of two generation units totalling 1,159 megawatts of power. Each of these units was made up of a boiler, turbine, and alternator as their essential components.
The Compostilla Thermal Power Plant
In June 2020, Compostilla Thermal Power Plant officially ceased operations. It only contained three units, with a total capacity of 1,051.7 megawatts (MW), which became operational between 1972 and 1985. Two older units were already undergoing a decommissioning process, having been in service since the early 1960s. The facilities cover approximately 375 hectares. The goal is to complete their decommissioning by the end of 2025.
In the darkness within the industrial remains, a worker faces the challenge of dismantling what was once an essential part of the thermal power plant.
It's time to go home; the workday has ended. Silence fills the two plants, —one with the background sound of waves, the other with the wind announcing a cool summer night. United despite the 982 kilometres between them.