Narcea thermal power plant was located in Soto de la Barca in Asturias
The Narcea thermal power plant was located in Soto de la Barca in the municipality of Tineo, in the Principality of Asturias. It is located at 213m above sea level on the banks of the Narcea river.
Key figures
Year commercial operations began
2 gypsum, ash and slag landfills
Date dismantling started
Estimated end date of the dismantling
Progress
- Availability of electrical evacuation point
- Availability of electrical supply
- Industrial land on the entire plot
- Water available (subject to concession), given that it is on the banks of the Narcea river
- Relatively close to the port of El Musel (Gijón) and Avilés
- The fact that most of the plot is in a "flood zone" will make it difficult to develop future industrial activities
- Location at some distance from industrial areas and with limited communication
In defining the dismantling works, environmental measures and safety procedures have been considered a priority to ensure they are carried out correctly and that third parties and the environment are not affected.
The buildings and installations at the power plants feature different types and combinations of structural elements. Therefore, a combination of manual and mechanical procedures have been incorporated into the dismantling and demolition methodology, in some cases combining the two types of procedures and using explosives to carry out controlled blasting.
What does the process consist of?
- Cleaning the equipment and installations
- Vaciado y limpieza de tanques y líneas
- Emptying and cleaning the tanks and lines
- Manual work to empty and dismantle the fixtures, sorting them by type
- We carry out specific actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offset our carbon footprint.
- Removing the thermal insulation
- Removing hazardous materials
- Combined demolition:
Demolition using machinery:
By pushing or pulling or using backhoes fitted with cutters to demolish the structure starting from the top and going down.
- Using hydraulic hammers mounted on mobile equipment.
- By controlled blasting to collapse structures and buildings using explosives.
- Sorting demolished materials by type, seeking maximum revaluation and recycling.
- Transferring waste to the different collection areas within the plant.
- Subsequent management according to the type of materials: inert, non-hazardous and hazardous.
- Refurbishing the plot with finishing consistent with an industrial site.
- Removal of protrusions and footings above the current level.
- Filling in holes with suitable material.
- Levelling the area.
The dismantling works carried out to date are:
The tasks of cleaning and removing explosive atmospheres from deposits and circuits.
The electrical systems (including the power transformers), the main equipment (turbine, alternator, mills, fans, etc.) and a large part of the interconnection pipes between the boiler and the turbine have been dismantled, having previously had their thermal insulation removed.
There are around 90 people on site working on these tasks, of which the following are locally hired:
9 people from the Just Transition Institute list (7 of them residents in Cerceda, Ordes or Carral).
17 people from Cerceda, Ordes and Carral.
45 people from other municipalities in the province.
Occasional participation of local companies
Proyectos

The fact that most of the plot is a “flood zone” will make it difficult to develop future industrial activities and using the existing diversion dam and other riverbank installations has been ruled out as this use is incompatible with restoring the riverbed. Possible solution to protect the plot are under analysis taking into account CHC criteria.
Third-party use of ash deposited in the plant’s non-hazardous waste landfill is under study and town refurbishment may be an opportunity for new activities.

Naturgy ha recibido la última autorización necesaria para iniciar el desmantelamiento de la central térmica del Narcea. Esta central, situada en Soto de la Barca, dentro del término municipal de Tineo (Principado de Asturias), comenzó su operación comercial en 1965 y la compañía solicitó autorización para su parada definitiva y cierre en diciembre de 2018.

- Global environmental policy