A protest group, Salvar Soria-Chira, backed by varied ecology organisations, have voiced sturdy opposition to the venture and on a number of events been denied grounds on which to cease the venture, regardless of varied claims of the irreparable harm to the pure surroundings the works are prone to trigger, together with the potential to wipe out endangered species, solely discovered on this small geographical space, such because the uncommon, and distinctive, Arguineguín Flat Snail (Monilearia arguineguinensis).  Additionally they declare that not solely is the know-how out of date, however that the desalinated water won’t be appropriate for agricultural utilization, until it’s blended with recent water.  There may be severe concern in regards to the lack of a novel habitat and the potential for additional hurt on account of potential concentrations of phytotoxics (chlorine, sodium, boron) which will end result from storing giant quantities of desalinated water in an uncovered repository, attributable to evaporation.

The commemorative act to formally begin work was held las February 17 at Infecar, led by Spain’s Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Problem, Teresa Ribera, the Salto de Chira venture has till now been centered on the development of the Santa Águeda desalination plant, on the mouth of the Arguineguín ravine.

The primary works to be accomplished are for a water remedy plant sending pipes up by way of the valley to move desalinated water from the coast as much as the Soria dam, and from there as much as the Chira dam. If the deadlines are met, the Santa Águeda plant (characteristic picture), being constructed by the corporate, Tedagua, must be completed in about 16 months, earlier than the summer season of 2024, and will probably be in a position to pump 7,800 cubic meters a day to the inland reservoirs.

In parallel, the Soria reservoir is being ready and conditioned, to retailer that water for the long run and to construct a pumping station. “The spillway of the Soria dam that provides entry to the floor consumption, hydraulic circuit and secondary tunnel” defined sources from multinational Purple Eléctrica de España (REE).

Caverns and tunnels
REE have awarded these works to a three way partnership headed by the corporate Dragados, on account of take 56 months. Aside from the hydraulic circuit and the secondary tunnel, this consortium of corporations may even be accountable for the development of a cavern the place the pumping plant shall be situated, the auxiliary tunnels and the out of doors civil works.

The work on the Soria reservoir to accommodate the brand new hydroelectric plant would require its being emptied of all of the saved water at present in it, in order to undertake works to the decrease components of the construction. That work is at present potential as a result of the reservoir is virtually empty. After years of drought on the southern half of the island, the accrued quantity held on the final measurement, carried out on December 1, stands at round 54,320 cubic meters, lower than 1% of its complete capability. Within the occasion that it rains, the plan is to divert water runoff to different deposits close by.

Final September, after tropical storm Hermine, 98,016 cubic meters flowed into Soria, elevating the saved quantity of water to 211,777 cubic meters, 2% of its capability, however most of that quantity, 157,457 cubic meters, was utilized in October or it was diverted to different reservoirs by way of the Trasvasur channel, a 60km hydraulic pipe system that connects the southern reservoirs collectively.

The Soria dam has a theoretical capability of 32 million cubic meters, greater than all the opposite reservoirs on the island mixed, however it has by no means held greater than a most file of 12.9 million.

The works for the Salto de Chira plant are anticipated to final 70 months in complete and generate greater than 4,300 jobs, of which greater than 3,500 are right here on the island of Gran Canaria, as was introduced by REE in the course of the inauguration. The unique funding introduced was simply over €400 million, nevertheless REE has subsequently recalculated the ultimate funds for the work will improve to €618 million because of the present rise in costs.

El Salto de Chira, says the electrical energy operator, “will reinforce the assure of provide for Gran Canaria and improve integration of renewable energies into the system, it’s estimated that by 2026 will probably be in a position to improve manufacturing from some of these sources by 37% and cut back CO2 emissions by 20%”.

The Salto de Chira plant, which has been declared of normal curiosity by the Authorities of the Canary Islands, takes benefit of the existence of those two giant reservoirs on the summits, situated on the confluence of the municipalities of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Mogán and Tejeda, to construct between them a 200 megawatt pumped hydroelectric plant, equal to roughly 36% of Gran Canaria’s peak demand, and three.5 gigawatts/hour of storage. 91% of the infrastructures, say REE, shall be situated underground.

For its half, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria has introduced that the desalinated water that reaches each dams may even be used for agricultural irrigation in different areas across the summits and the north by way of the creation of a piped community.

Public dams at 25% of their capability

Gran Canaria, with its 69 reservoirs, is the territory with the very best focus of dams on this planet. The Cabildo de Gran Canaria is chargeable for seven giant reservoirs which at present retailer 2.6 million cubic meters of agricultural irrigation water, 25% of their capability, or 11% if the semi-public Soria reservoir have been included, even when it’s virtually empty. After two years of drought, the final water influx was recorded in the course of the tropical storm Hermine, about 810,000 cubic metres. Nevertheless, these rains didn’t forestall concern within the south, the place the biggest dam, Chira, at present solely has 710,000 cubic meters, 13% of its capability. Ayagaures is at 23%, La Gambuesa at 62%, Fataga at 10% and El Mulato at 45%. Within the northern basins, the La Candelaria reservoir has reserves at 34% of its capability and ElVaquero is at 45%.