Environmental Impact Assessment: MAT case
In 1994 a power supply agreement was signed between France and Spain. This is the starting point of the line MAT Sentmenat – Bescanó -Baixas. This agreement was declared as a “community interest” the project of a new line of high tension between France and Spain, which would fit with the proposal of an internal market in electricity. The Spanish Electricity Network (REE) and the Electricity Transport Network (TEN) French were in charge of the project and have tried since 1997, to develop a high voltage line crossing the Pyrenees, adding it to the seven interconnection power lines between France and Spain (two of which are 400 kV). The opposition in different places has prevented the project on the border of these countries, although the Iberian electricity system has developed.
Source: (Territori, 2007)
Most mayors of the municipalities where the MAT is going to come are positioned against it until a set of clarifying questions.
The Generalitat de Catalunya said it promoted the construction of the MAT for three main reasons:
1) Need to improve electricity supply in the surrounding region.
2) The high speed train (TGV) line needs a very high voltage (400kV) to function.
3) It is necessary to increase the interconnection capacity with France.
However, the coordinator of the electrical interconnection between Spain and France, Mario Monti presents other arguments:
- Security of supply
- The need to ensure the stability of your network. Increasing the park
- renewable energy production (wind, hydro and solar) whose production is highly variable and unpredictable in the long run requires more interconnections to cope with the peaks or valleys of production.
- The need to lift the region of Girona of electrical insulation, which exposes this area, more than any other in Spain, the risk of serious power shortages.
On the other hand, there are different political and social actors who oppose the construction of high voltage lines for different reasons. The reason are basically, that the project must not applied until proven extensively with a broad debate, transparent and multidisciplinary, in agreement with local governments and with the participation of independent experts and the social and economic needs exist local energy supply and that only and exclusively, can be covered with this line, that is not viable options or other energy models.
Other groups demand a new energy culture, more efficient, more decentralized, more renewable, less CO2-emitting nuclear waste.
The main impacts considered are:
Impacts on the land and the environment: From tower to tower it will create a lane width of 4 meters to lift the cables, but the goal is to avoid it when you can do with a helicopter. And at the base of the towers the trees have to be cut in an area of 15 by 15 meters. The technicians who install the tower have promised to the owners that they will not cut more more trees than the supplanted ones by the towers, because of the wires were installed by helicopter, but there is no written document consigning this commitment.
Effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on public health: Another key point that has raised doubts and contradictions regarding the power lines are its effects on health. The most recent research is showing that electromagnetic pollution may have effects on health.
Socioeconomic impacts: Regarding to the socioeconomic impact, the report of the European mediator Mario Monti rejected the argument that the territory “would make no direct benefit from the project” but admits a “loss of enjoyment of part of territory due to the power line.” In this sense, Francisco (Association of Municipalities MAT (AMMAT) indicates that “we must consider if the infraestructure mortgage the socio-economic future of the area: the construction of the MAT cancels any possibility of the affected areas to engage the rural tourism and lose one of its main assets; the nature ”
References:
Dossier sobre la Muy Alta Tensión (MAT) en Catalunya Contextos, Actores, Contradicciones y Alternativas. De la Muy Alta Tensión (MAT) a la Generación Eléctrica Renovable y Distribuida (GERD). Equip NovaTerra’07
Territori. Observatori de Projectes i debats territorials de Catalunya. Retrieved 6/2/2012 from: http://territori.scot.cat/cat/viewer.php?IDN=254
Comments Off on Environmental Impact Assessment: MAT case /
07 Feb 2012
por
Carlos Cerdan Infantes
IMSD /
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