Almoster Rejects MAT and Demands Just Energy Transition

The municipal plenary unanimously approves a motion calling for territorial and environmental guarantees regarding the high-voltage project.

Generic image of a high-voltage power line pylon in a rural Catalan landscape.
IA

Generic image of a high-voltage power line pylon in a rural Catalan landscape.

The Almoster City Council, in Baix Camp, has unanimously approved a motion opposing the deployment of the very high voltage (MAT) line for the Escatrón – Els Aubals – La Secuita project, demanding an energy transition with territorial guarantees.

The initiative, presented by councilor Miquel Àngel from the En Comú Podem municipal group, emphasizes the need for an equitable energy transition that considers the territory and minimizes impacts on the environment and local economy.

The energy transition is necessary, but it should not be carried out without consensus or without assessing its consequences.

The document warns that large-scale infrastructures like this power line could cause lasting effects on the landscape, biodiversity, and agricultural land, conditioning the development of municipalities for decades. Therefore, it demands that any decision on the project be made with criteria of territorial justice, transparency, and effective participation from affected municipalities.
The motion also urges the Generalitat de Catalunya to play an active role in territorial planning and route definition, ensuring compliance with current territorial and environmental regulations. Furthermore, it calls for a rigorous technical justification for the infrastructure's necessity and an analysis of alternatives with less impact, such as reinforcing the existing network or energy storage.
Finally, the text highlights the protection of natural areas and agricultural land, requesting an integrated environmental assessment that considers cumulative impacts and includes effective corrective measures. It also advocates for fair compensation for the agricultural sector and territorial return mechanisms that contribute to environmental improvements and local energy projects. The agreements will be forwarded to the Generalitat, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, and political groups in the Congress and Parliament.