The initiative, which envisioned an investment of 134 million euros and was contingent on the dismantling of the former Vandellòs I nuclear power plant, is deemed unfeasible due to a lack of concrete details and issues with land ownership, which belongs to the National Company of Radioactive Waste (Enresa).
The mayor, Assumpció Castellví, explained to the ACN that the project "could not be done" and that it was "a waste of time" to focus on it while the land ownership remained unclear. She added that the initiative "was not a bad idea" but its foundation was weak, as any action depends on the complete decommissioning of the nuclear facility, a process that will take years.
Castellví also noted that the project's long timeline might mean that, by the time it became operational, proton therapy could be outdated by more effective cancer treatments.
The project was first announced in 2021 by the previous mayor, Alfons Garcia, in collaboration with the Mancomunitat d'Iniciatives pel Desenvolupament Integral del Territori (MIDIT). The economic study estimated an investment exceeding 134 million euros and potential savings in the dismantling of the nuclear infrastructure, which Enresa plans to begin in 2028.
The original proposal involved utilizing the containment structure of Vandellòs I to house the center, which would include treatment rooms, a cyclotron, and complementary diagnostic services. It originated from a final degree project by architect Carlos Gonzalvo from the URV.
In 2021, then-mayor Alfons Garcia argued that the site was suitable despite the need to remove waste and decontaminate walls, emphasizing the project's "pioneering and transformative" nature, which was projected to serve over 1,500 patients annually from Catalonia, Aragon, and the Valencian Community.
In March 2023, the Spanish government committed to seeking funding, with the deputy delegate in Tarragona, Santi Castellà, calling it "strategic." Despite discussions with Enresa, no concrete progress has been made.
The Vandellòs I nuclear power plant is currently in the second phase of its decommissioning process, which began in 1989. Enresa is expected to commence reactor demolition work starting in 2028, marking the beginning of the third phase of dismantling.
