Farmers and residents in northern and eastern Almeria vow to fight proposed overhead power line

RESIDENTS from municipalities in northern and eastern Almeria turned out to protest against the proposed Baza-La Ribina overhead power line.
Demonstrating on January 20, they warned they would continue to oppose the €73.5 million project that they claim will bring “countless economic and social problems” while adversely affecting the environment.
Farmers and growers who fear the impact on their livelihoods headed the Plataforma Salvemos la Sierra de las Estancias protest march in their tractors, setting out from Chirivel on January 22 and finishing in Velez Rubio.
The group included environmental experts, biologists and lawyers, pointed out Plataforma president Julia Garcia, who thanked politicians from Velez Rubio, Albox, Oria, Taberno and Chrivel for the support
“We are children of the land, the children of generations of farmers and we will defend our land to the bitter end,” Garcia declared.
“Our objective is to fight the chosen route for a high-tension, 400 kilowatt-power line, the largest and most dangerous type that exists and will extend from Baza to Antas, and not La Ribina as the plans maintain.”
A manifesto written for the occasion argued that although there were five options, the Red Electrica de España corporation had chosen the route that was “the longest, most expensive and most harmful to our agriculture and environment.”
The manifesto also argued that there would be no benefit for the affected municipalities: “It is an evacuation power line, taking the energy abroad without even creating employment.”