Two Wind Farms in Teruel Face Legal Scrutiny Over Alleged Irregularities in 2025

• What Are the Allegations Against the Wind Farms?
• Why Is the Environmental Impact Assessment Under Fire?
• How Did the Projects Avoid Stricter Oversight?
• What Are the Risks to Local Wildlife?
• Were Public Procedures Shortchanged?
• Who’s Facing Legal Action?
• Could This Delay Spain’s Green Energy Goals?
• What’s Next for the Projects?
• FAQs

In a twist that reads like an eco-thriller, two wind farms in Teruel, Spain, are under the microscope of the public prosecutor’s office following allegations of procedural irregularities. The projects, initially greenlit by the Aragón government, now face accusations of significant modifications bypassing public scrutiny, environmental oversights, and questionable placement NEAR protected zones. Here’s a deep dive into the controversy shaking Spain’s renewable energy sector.

What Are the Allegations Against the Wind Farms?

The citizen movement Teruel Existe has lodged a formal complaint, alleging that the wind farms underwent substantial changes post-approval without public disclosure. Key modifications include a near-doubling of turbine capacity (from 3.5 MW to 6.5 MW) and a reduction in turbine count from 27 to 16, with only four retaining their original positions. One farm allegedly encroached on the other’s designated area, raising red flags about zoning violations.

Why Is the Environmental Impact Assessment Under Fire?

The complaint highlights glaring gaps in the environmental review process. Critical reports—such as studies on birdlife (avifauna), Natura 2000 network impacts, and archaeological assessments—were missing. Worse, four turbines in the Salamaña project reportedly sit outside their approved boundary, infringing on the Pertusa wind farm’s zone. “It’s like building a swimming pool in your neighbor’s yard and calling it a ‘minor adjustment,’” quipped a local activist.

How Did the Projects Avoid Stricter Oversight?

Teruel Existe claims the developers fragmented a larger project into two smaller ones to dodge stricter federal environmental reviews, keeping approvals at the regional level. The evacuation line (a 25 km power transmission route) was also processed separately, further muddying the waters. “Slicing a mega-project into bite-sized pieces doesn’t make the environmental impact disappear,” noted an analyst from TradingView.

What Are the Risks to Local Wildlife?

The farms sit perilously close to a Special Protection Area (ZEPA) and a Natura 2000 corridor, habitats for endangered species like the Dupont’s lark (), little bustard (), and Bonelli’s eagle. Critics argue the turbines invade recovery zones for these birds, with one turbine “close enough to give the larks a haircut,” as a biologist darkly joked.