Endesa removes more than 3,500 tons of waste at the Jinámar chimney works

So far Endesa estimates that they have been extracted from the Jinámar thermal power plant. 3,081 tons of solid and liquid waste material of different types, a quantity that will increase considerably when during the second quarter of this year the works of gradual dismantling of the 76.5 meter high chimney begin. gMuch of the material removed so far has been recycled and the rest have been given special treatment following guidelines for respect for the environment. Among the recovered materials, 71 tons of copper, bronze and brass stand out, 2,169 tons of iron and steel, 8 tons of ashes, 49 tons of cables, 95 tons of mineral oils, etc.

The chimney demolition process will be complex and meticulous, since blasting is ruled out and the concrete structure will be intervened using robots, heavy machinery and manually. The majority of the workers involved in the work are of Canarian origin.

Another important fact refers to the space of 6,000 square meters that the Jinámar thermal power plant will gain once the works to dismantle the chimney are completed and with the removal of the attached inoperative steam groups. The use that will be given to this free space in the future has not yet been determined by the company, although it will foreseeably go along the lines of betting on new manageable and environmentally friendly Generation units.

The chimneys of the Jinámar plant They have been a visual symbol on the horizon of access to Las Palmas de Gran since they were built in the 1970s to provide energy coverage to the island of Gran Canaria. In the 21st century, both chimneys will also mark a milestone by becoming, with the dismantling of the smaller one, a progress on the path towards decarbonization initiated by Endesa in the Canary Islands.

The UTE-Afesa Nervión was the winner of the competition in which a total of five companies participated, and was awarded the project for a budget of 1.6 million. This company is also specialized in treatment, segregation and recovery and subsequent recycling of waste. The works are expected to last until September 2024. The project has been established around several phases to make the installation as safe as possible and to be able to combine the works with the operation of the groups that are still operational at the Jinámar plant. .

Curiously, the chimney about to be dismantled was subjected to superficial repairs to its exterior structure in early 2023, in order to maintain its integrity and guarantee the safety of the personnel working at the plant. The repair works became necessary due to the fall of concrete fragments as a result of the daily corrosive action of the marine environment where the Jinámar Power Plant is located.

History of the Jinámar Power Plant

The Jinámar Power Plant is located in the municipality of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. And in its facilities it has housed five steam groups (three of which were also used to purify seawater), three gas turbines and five diesel units.

The first group was inaugurated in 1972 and was created to fulfill the dual function of generating electricity and desalinating water for the supply of the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The second and third groups were dedicated exclusively to the production of electricity and began operating in 1975 and 1978, respectively.

For their part, the fourth and fifth group came into operation in 1982 and 1984, respectively, also fulfilling the dual function of producing electricity and desalinated water.