Euskal Trenbide Sareak has awarded the contract to install …

The public entity Euskal Trenbide Sarea-Red Ferroviaria Vasca (ETS) has awarded a domain concession to TEK Zarautz for two covers of the new Zarautz station, in order to install photovoltaic solar panels on said covers and promote the consumption of renewable energy in the municipality. The decision is contained in a resolution dated September 10, 2026, signed by the president of the Delegated Contracting Committee of ETS. It was published in the BOPV issue number 184 on September 25, 2026, with official reference 2026/4012.

Origin and processing of the file

The Heritage Department of ETS initiated the processing of the domain concession at the request of an interested party, to occupy and use two covers of the new station. The file was processed under the protection of the Consolidated Text of the Heritage Law of the Basque Country, namely Legislative Decree 2/2007, of November 6; specifically, according to the provisions of articles 68.b), 74.3, 74.4, and 82.1.

July 1, 2026: The prior favorable report required by article 74.3 was verified.
July 2, 2026: The resolution of the president of the Delegated Contracting Committee of ETS approved the file and the expenditure.
July 9, 2026: The announcement of the approval was published in the BOPV, and a 30-day period was opened for the submission of other requests.
Once the period ended, no other requests were received.

Area and term

The resolution includes two area measurements: the legal bases mention 600.00 m2, while the award notice mentions 667.00 m2. The area is part of the public railway domain of ETS and is a domain asset owned by the General Administration of the Basque Autonomous Community, under the management of ETS.

Initial occupation term: 15 years, from the date the concession is signed.
Extension: another 10 years, requested in advance from ETS.
Area: 600.00 m2 according to the legal bases; 667.00 m2 according to the award notice.

Technical conditions and guarantees

The holder of the concession must carry out the necessary works at their own expense and risk, and must comply with strict technical conditions to ensure the watertightness of the station and the stability of the metallic structure.

A project must be submitted, signed by a qualified technician and visaed by the corresponding authority, specifying the structural load calculations.
The system for mounting the panels and the technical characteristics of the materials to be used must also be specified.
An access passage must be maintained for qualified ETS personnel to maintain the cover and gutters.
An insurance policy must be provided, with ETS and the General Administration of the Basque Autonomous Community appearing as additional insured parties.
The definitive guarantee will be requested at the moment the authorization resolution for the works is granted, and its amount will depend on the budget for the panel installation works.
The holder shall assume the costs of conservation, maintenance, repair, care, and security, as well as taxes and fees.

Regulation and competent entity

The concession has been awarded by the president of the Delegated Contracting Committee of the ETS, Antonio López Palenzuela, in Bilbao, on September 10, 2026. The procedure is the competition regime regulated in Article 74.3.

Regulation: Law 38/2015, of September 29, of the Railway Sector; Law 26/2022, of December 19, which amends it; and Royal Decree 2387/2004, of December 30, which approves the Regulation of the Railway Sector. Likewise, Decree 41/2001 is applied, the regulation of the Territorial Plan of the Railway Network of the Basque Autonomous Community.

ETS may render this concession null and void or modify it at any time if the occupation is incompatible with new safety regulations, if it causes damage to the public railway domain, or if the needs of the railway infrastructure so require, without the holder having the right to receive compensation.

Impact

The new Zarautz station has recently been built and is in the best possible condition for railway functions. Installing solar panels on the covers aims to promote the consumption of renewable energy in the municipality, utilizing the public assets of the railway infrastructure. The fact that the concession was awarded for 15 years with a provision for another 10-year extension is a clear signal: ETS has made a long-term bet in favor of photovoltaic installations for self-consumption, and this will have a direct impact on Zarautz’s energy model in the coming decade.

Fuente: BOPV, no. 184, September 25, 2026, Other Provisions, pp. 1-5 (official reference: 2026/4012).