Tenerife Council Unanimously Backs Geothermal Exploration
The Cabildo de Tenerife approved a unanimous institutional motion during its plenary session this past Friday, reiterating its support for the geothermal exploration drilling project on the island. It also formally requested that the project’s promoting company, Energía Geotérmica de Canarias (EGC), commit to guaranteeing measures such as environmental impact assessment and priority in hiring local labour.
A Strategic Resource for Stable Energy Supply
In a statement, the island corporation explained that although significant progress has been made in recent years in implementing renewable energies like wind and solar power, the intermittent nature of these sources makes it necessary to continue exploring complementary alternatives. These alternatives would ensure a stable, continuous, and secure energy supply. In this context, geothermal energy presents itself as a strategic resource of high value for the island’s energy future.
According to the Cabildo, the plenary agreement highlights that geothermal energy allows for the generation of baseload electricity 24 hours a day, with a reduced environmental footprint, no direct greenhouse gas emissions, and a much lower land occupation than other renewable energies.
Commitment to Transparency and Community Dialogue
The plenary agreed to reiterate its institutional backing for the geothermal exploration drilling project, expressly recognising its strategic character for developing a more sustainable energy model and valuing the potential economic, social, and environmental benefits for the island. Furthermore, the island corporation stated the need for this initiative to be carried out with maximum transparency and rigour. This involves guaranteeing clear, complete, and comprehensible information from the initial stages, as well as opening permanent channels for dialogue with residents of the municipality of Vilaflor de Chasna and, where applicable, other municipalities where conditions are suitable for drilling.
Key Demands Made to the Promoting Company
Similarly, the Cabildo urged the promoting company, Energía Geotérmica de Canarias (EGC), to adopt all necessary measures to minimise the impact of the drilling and to adequately compensate neighbours adjacent to the land where geothermal exploration work takes place, both in Trevejos and other possible future locations. Key demands include:
The opening of a permanent neighbourhood liaison office in Vilaflor de Chasna, and where applicable in other municipalities where drilling occurs, as a space for in-person and ongoing information, monitoring, and public participation.
A guarantee that any future geothermal exploitation activity will be contingent on a new, specific Environmental Impact Assessment, with corresponding public information and citizen participation processes.
Priority in hiring local labour and in training young people from the municipality and surrounding area, with the aim of promoting skilled employment and maximising the project’s socio-economic return at a local level.
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