Aragón declares public utility for the Gargallo I photovoltaic plant

The Department of Economy, Competitiveness and Employment of the Government of Aragon has declared, specifically, the public utility of the “Gargallo I” photovoltaic plant and its evacuation infrastructure, located in the municipality of Andorra (Teruel), promoted by the company Energías Renovables de Palene, SLU. The decision is formalized in Order ECE/1466/2026, dated September 22, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 199, dated October 14, 2026 (reference BOA20261014018). 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.

Legal framework and case background

The order is based on Article 54 of Law 24/2013, of December 26, on the Electricity Sector, which declares electrical generation facilities to be of public utility, and on Royal Decree 1955/2000, of December 1. The competence corresponds to the Minister of Economy, Competitiveness and Employment, Eva Valle Maestro, who signed the resolution in Zaragoza on September 22, 2026.

The case file accumulates references TE-AT0162/20, IP-PC-0427/2020, and DUP-T-2024-0018. The installation already had prior administrative and construction authorization, granted by Resolution of October 17, 2023, by the Director General of Energy and Mines, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 225, dated November 22, 2023.

The company requested the declaration on January 26, 2024, and provided documentation in several phases: August 9, 2024, November 21, 2025, and February 11, 2026, in addition to a responsible declaration of agreements on February 12, 2026. The public information process was announced in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 37, dated February 24, 2026, in the Diario de Teruel of the same date, on the notice board of the Andorra City Council, and on the Government of Aragon website. The city council issued a favorable report on the project.

Dismissed allegations

During the public information period, allegations were received from the Asociación de Apoyo a Teruel Existe and from Mr. Mariano and Mr. Carlos Guallar Alquézar, owners of plots 643, 644, 648, and 692 of polygon 24 in Andorra. The claimants questioned the specific need for occupation, the least harmful alternative, the damage to the olive grove in operation, and the overlap of impacts with other installations.

The Provincial Service of Teruel responded that the expropriation is limited to the underground evacuation line, with an easement for surveillance and maintenance, which allows for the normal cultivation of the estates. It also recalled that the Gargallo I, Encuentro, and San Pedro plants share a trench up to the SET Sedeis to reduce impacts. All allegations were dismissed.

Mining rights and affected estates

The annex of the order lists the affected mining rights:

• Research permit “Andorra Fracción 2.ª”, number 5784, holder Endesa Generación, S.A., status cancelled, mineral limestone, with 103,857.81 square meters of affected surface.

By Resolution of June 8, 2026, the Director General of Energy and Mines declared the works between the installation and said permit to be compatible, without prejudice to the holders’ right to be indemnified.

The list of assets and rights requiring expropriation (Annex I) includes four estates, all from polygon 24 of Andorra and with Guallar Alquézar Mariano and Guallar Alquézar Carlos as holders:

• Estate 3, plot 643, dryland farming: 339 meters of underground line, 1,197 m² of surface and 2,574 m² of surveillance and maintenance easement.
• Estate 4, plot 644, dryland farming: 94 meters, 360 m² and 728 m².
• Estate 6, plot 648, dryland farming: 29 meters, 223 m² and 384 m².
• Estate 8, plot 692, dryland olive groves: 92 meters, 318 m² and 690 m².

The promoter also requested the exclusion of two estates (polygon 23 plot 116 and polygon 24 plot 645) after reaching a land-use transfer agreement.

Appeal deadlines and impact

The declaration implies the urgent occupation of the land for the purposes of Article 52 of the Law of December 16, 1954, on compulsory expropriation, such that indemnities will be determined later, during the fair price phase. Against the order, which ends the administrative route, an optional appeal for reversal may be filed within one month or a contentious-administrative appeal before the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of Aragon within two months.

For the affected owners and for the renewable development of the Teruel mining area, the resolution clears the final administrative step before the effective occupation of the estates.

Source: Official Gazette of Aragon, number 199, of October 14, 2026, section III (official reference: BOA20261014018).