Aragón declares the public utility of the Clarita photovoltaic park and enables expropriations

The Department of Economy, Competitiveness and Employment of the Government of Aragon has specifically declared the public utility of the “Clarita” photovoltaic park, promoted by the company Valdenforne Solar SL within the municipal boundaries of La Puebla de Alfindén and Zaragoza. The decision is formalized in Order ECE/1446/2026, of September 23, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 197, of October 9, 2026, with reference BOA20261009016. The declaration enables the compulsory expropriation of the assets and rights necessary for the establishment of the installation and the imposition and exercise of the right-of-way easement.

The resolution is based on articles 54 and 56 of Law 24/2013, of December 26, on the Electricity Sector, which declare electrical generation, transmission, and distribution facilities to be of public utility. Article 56 further implies the urgent occupation of assets for the purposes of article 52 of the Law of December 16, 1954, on compulsory expropriation. The administrative file is G-Z-2021-067 / DUP-Z-2023-0061.

Background and processing of the file

The project has had prior administrative and construction authorization since the Resolution of May 26, 2023, from the Director General of Energy and Mines of the Department of Industry, Competitiveness and Business Development, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 109, of June 9, 2023. That resolution refers to the report from the Aragonese Institute of Environmental Management dated July 7, 2022, which decided not to subject the project to an ordinary environmental impact assessment.

The request for the declaration of public utility was submitted by Valdenforne Solar SL on March 31, 2025, accompanied by the individualized list of assets and rights considered necessary for expropriation. The process was subjected to public consultation via an announcement in the press and in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 159, both on August 18, 2025, with notification to the Zaragoza City Council and the affected cadastral owners. The Provincial Service of Zaragoza issued a favorable report on November 10, 2025.

Allegations submitted and rejected

During the public consultation, six allegations were received, all of which were dismissed:

• A1, submitted by 17134463S, regarding the affectation of plot 9017 of polygon 63 and the application of Law 6/2023, of February 23, on the protection and modernization of social and family agriculture.
• A2, submitted by G50315340.
• A3, submitted by G50142199.
• A4, submitted by 17673456A.
• A5, submitted by G50920669.
• A6, submitted by G99549198.

Allegations A2 to A6, identical in content, requested the denial of the declaration and the closing of the file, alleging a pending contentious-administrative procedure, errors in the classification of the land, and a lack of transparency. The Administration rejected them, considering that the claimants did not prove their status as interested parties in accordance with Article 20 of the Law of December 16, 1954, and noted that the judicial precautionary measures were denied, therefore the authorization remains in effect.

Affected assets and rights

The annex of the Order lists a single property requiring expropriation, after excluding the plots where an agreement was reached and public domain assets:

• Project property number: 30.
• Polygon: 63; plot: 9017.
• Municipality: Zaragoza.
• Crop: public domain communication route.
• Length of roads: 85.99 meters; surface area of roads: 3.14 square meters.
• Surface area of the photovoltaic park: 1,861.56 square meters.
• Right-of-way for surveillance and conservation: 12.34 square meters.
• Definitive occupation: 1,906.99 square meters.

Against the Order, which ends the administrative route, an optional appeal for reversal may be filed within one month, or a contentious-administrative appeal may be filed before the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Aragon within two months. The document was signed in Zaragoza on September 23, 2026, by the Minister of Economy, Competitiveness, and Employment, Eva Valle Maestro.

The declaration unlocks the effective occupation of the land and opens the expropriation route for the affected owners, who may be deprived of their properties through the urgency procedure. The case illustrates the growing tension between the deployment of renewables in Aragon and the protection of agricultural land and private property in the peri-urban environment of Zaragoza.

Source: Official Gazette of Aragon, number 197, of October 9, 2026, section III (Other Provisions and Agreements) (official reference: BOA20261009016).