Güímar Quarry Restoration to Integrate Pumped-Hydro Plant

Mariano Hernández Zapata, the Canary Islands' Minister for Ecological Transition and Energy, has highlighted a direct link between restoring land damaged by quarrying in Güímar and building a new pumped-hydro power plant in the same area. This project is seen as a way to tackle what the minister calls one of the biggest recent environmental problems in the islands, while also boosting renewable energy.

The Güímar area has large holes in the ground due to years of quarrying. This kind of activity drastically changes the landscape and creates big environmental challenges for recovery. To address this, the ministry has asked Gesplan to carry out a detailed study to find environmentally sound ways to repair the damaged land.

One promising idea being considered is to integrate the pumped-hydro power plant directly into the existing landscape. This would involve using some of the large holes left by quarrying to create the reservoirs needed for the plant. What's more, the rock excavated during the plant's construction could be used to fill other empty areas, offering a solution that serves two purposes. Minister Hernández Zapata explained that simply filling all the big holes left by machinery, without digging up materials from other places, would be environmentally complicated. Building the pumped-hydro plant, he argues, offers an ideal way to both restore the land and generate clean energy.

Pumped-hydro power plants are crucial for the shift to cleaner energy, particularly for island electricity systems like the Canary Islands. These islands aim to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and incorporate more renewable energy sources, which can be intermittent. These plants work by storing excess electricity: water is pumped to an upper reservoir, and then released to generate power when electricity is needed. For the minister, this project is essential for the stability and future of the electricity system serving Tenerife and La Gomera.