Environmental green light for the industrial nitrogen plant in Mérida

The General Directorate of Sustainable Management and Forestry Policy of the Regional Ministry of Industry, Energy, Science and Territory has issued a favorable environmental impact report for the industrial nitrogen manufacturing plant project in the municipality of Mérida, promoted by Jinhong Gas Spain, SL. The resolution, dated September 23, 2026, concludes that the project is not expected to produce significant adverse impacts on the environment and, therefore, declares it unnecessary to subject it to the ordinary environmental impact assessment procedure. The text is published in the Official Gazette of Extremadura no. 191, dated October 2, 2026, with official reference 2026062449 and file IA26/0300.

The ruling is framed within Law 16/2015, of April 23, on environmental protection of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura, whose article 73 regulates the simplified environmental assessment. The project falls under Annex V of said regulation due to its inclusion in Annex II, group 6, sections a) and c), of Law 21/2013, of December 9, on environmental assessment, referring to industrial installations for the production of chemical products and the storage of petrochemical and chemical products. The competence of the environmental body derives from article 7.1.d) of Decree 107/2026, of May 26, on the organic structure of the regional ministry.

The processing began on February 6, 2026, when the promoter submitted the environmental document to the now-extinct General Directorate of Sustainability. The file was completed following the request for correction on April 14, 2026, and the consultations with interested administrations and entities carried out on May 27, 2026.

A 12,000 square meter cryogenic plant in Expaciomérida

The facilities will be located inside the Expaciomérida Business Park, on plot I-18 (cadastral reference 9516104QD2091N0001XG), with a surface area of 12,000 m², expanded with part of plot I-27 through a subdivision license from the Mérida City Council dated April 15, 2026. Access is provided from the N-630 road, 680 meters to the west, and the nearest centers are Torremejía and Calamonte.

The plant will produce high-purity nitrogen, exceeding 99%, through cryogenic air separation. Its main figures are:

• Annual production of 100,000,000 m³ of N2, with 8,000 operating hours per year.
• Nominal capacity of 17,000 Nm³/h of high-pressure nitrogen gas.
• Total air flow in normal operation of 28,000 Nm³/h.
• Forecasted electrical demand of 4.61 MW, with medium voltage supply at 15 kV from an Endesa substation on plot D-4.
• Raw water consumption of approximately 96,000 m³/year and guaranteed potable water of 12 m³/day.
• Maximum discharge to the municipal sewage network of 3,096.6 m³/year.
• Two vertical cryogenic tanks of 250 m³ each for liquid nitrogen.

ADENEX Allegations and Environmental Body Response

On June 25, 2026, ADENEX submitted a document containing ten blocks of allegations requesting the expansion of environmental documentation and an express assessment regarding the submission of the project to an ordinary evaluation. The association alleged the proximity of the site to the Sierras Centrales and Alange Reservoir SPA (ES0000334), located less than 800 meters away, and its inclusion in the IBA 277 Alange, as well as the continuous operation of the facility, noise sources, and oxygen-enriched air vents.

The environmental body maintains that the project does not affect Natura 2000 Network sites and relies on the Natura 2000 Network and biodiversity impact report CN26/3281, from the Nature Conservation and Protected Areas Service, which was favorable subject to measures. That report confirms breeding territories for the booted eagle, griffon vulture, and golden eagle more than 2 kilometers away and rules out that the new industry would be a threat factor. According to the resolution, the allegations are implicitly answered within the established preventive and corrective measures.

Archaeological, Water, and Monitoring Constraints

The Archaeology and Strategic Projects Service issued a conditional favorable report, as the plot is located within the Emeritense archaeological site and adjacent to the route of the Vía de la Plata. The project must be previously approved by the Consortium of the Monumental City of Mérida and undergo archaeological monitoring of earthworks, with excavation in the event of finds.

Regarding water matters, the Guadiana Hydrographic Confederation reported that the Pueblo stream flows approximately 220 meters to the south, with no impact on the public hydraulic domain, and it is the responsibility of the Mérida City Council to authorize the discharge into the municipal network. The resolution also requires a vegetative screen with native species, daytime and nighttime noise control, prevention of light pollution, and a monitoring program with an annual general report. The report will expire if the project is not authorized within four years of its publication.

The ruling clears the main environmental procedure for a facility intended to supply nitrogen continuously to industrial consumers in the Mérida area, avoiding external procurement by road. For the city, the resolution consolidates industrial activity in Expaciomérida, but maintains strict obligations on the promoter regarding archaeological, acoustic, and discharge monitoring.

Source: Official Gazette of Extremadura, no. 191, of October 2, 2026, section III (official reference: 2026062449).