Endesa completes another step in the decommissioning of the historic Litoral de Carboneras thermal power plant (Almería) with the demolition of the last boiler in Group 1 , a process that marks the definitive closure of a plant that operated for more than 40 years. This boiler was over 80 meters tall and was one of the plant’s last remaining metal structures.
Boiler explosion at the Carboneras thermal power plant
The plant’s demolition process, which began in 2021, has been complex due to the metallic characteristics of the infrastructure. The blasting , which was carried out in stages, required exhaustive analysis and detailed planning, with drilling into the foundation, weakening the structures, and the use of explosives to ensure safety throughout the process.
In total, 260 detonators, 175 kilos of explosive and 158 linear cutting charges were used, all within a safety radius of 400 meters, according to El Periódico de la Energía .
The thermal power plant, which operated with a capacity of 577 megawatts, closed its doors in 2021, and the decommissioning process is aligned with the principles of the circular economy , seeking to revalue more than 90% of the materials, with the goal of obtaining a zero-waste certificate. The work has generated local employment, with more than 50% of the workforce coming from the region.
Environmental impact
Furthermore, the environmental impact has been mitigated thanks to the recycling of the 76,000 tons of waste generated , which will be managed according to environmental regulations. This process has allowed Endesa to donate more than 1,000 elements of the plant to various public and private entities throughout Spain, giving these materials a second life.
With the completion of this final blast, only the demolition of the hopper and the coal conveyor belt remains to be done, for which the best method of execution will be evaluated. The dismantling, which is estimated to take between four and six years, is being carried out by the Lecalde Joint Venture, formed by the companies Caldererías Indálicas and Lezama Demoliciones, both of which specialize in industrial dismantling.
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Source: Endesa via X
Photo: Endesa website