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Wind Power in Galicia

The Wall Street Journal

In the northeastern region of Galicia, Spain, an aluminium smelter owned by Pittsburgh-based Alcoa corp, finds itself in the middle of an energy quandary.

 

Recent soaring energy prices have nearly forced the smelter to shutter its operations, leaving hundreds unemployed. The looming threat led the regional government to approve constructions of a nearby wind farm to supply electricity and hopefully make the site independent from the fluctuations felt in the energy market due to the ongoing war.

 

The project, however, has created tensions amidst locals and environmentalists, and shown the complexity and far reaching impacts of Europe’s current energy crisis.

 

I headed to the town of San Ciprián to photograph the controversial turbines and the surrounding landscape, as well as the smelter’s employees and unionists to capture the story as it unfolded.

 

Commissioned by Jennifer Kerrigan for The Wall Street Journal. Words by Matthew Dalton.

 

 

 

Cows grazing in a field near a wind turbine.
Wind turbine parks in Northern Spain, 1h away from San Ciprián. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
Wind turbines in ireland.
Wind turbine parks in Northern Spain, 1h away from San Ciprián. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
Two men standing in front of a factory.
CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A factory with cars parked in front of it.
Views of the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A white door with a sign that reads aeroxenador 25 circuito 3.
Wind Turbines at one of the many parks in La Corunã. Protests against it are noticeable though signs fixed on fences neaby. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A man in a blue and orange uniform walking out of a building.
Ana, one of the very few female workers of the plant, enters the Workers Union Office at the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street JournalCREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street JournalCREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A phone is sitting on top of a stack of papers.
Personal belongings of José António Zan, the Union Leader of the Alcoa workers. Photographed in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A man sitting at a desk.
Portrait of José António Zan, the Union Leader of the Alcoa workers. Photographed in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A view of a factory with a lot of concrete.
Views of the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A woman wearing a firefighter's uniform.
Ana, one of the very few female workers of the plant, in front of the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A blue fence in front of a factory.
Views of the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A man wearing a hard hat.
Jesus, one of the workers of the plant, in front of the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A factory with a lot of wires.
Views of the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A close up of a high voltage tower against a blue sky.
Views of the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A building with many windows.
San Ciprián, Spain, is known for its mining industry. Colorful high buildings populate this small town. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A beach with rocks and a factory in the background.
A view of the Alcoa factory, for alluminium processing, from the local beach at San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A road with smoke coming out of it.
Smoke Stacks from the industrial complex in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A woman wearing a hard hat.
Ana, one of the very few female workers of the plant, at the entrance gate to the Alcoa Factory in San Ciprián, Spain. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A gas station at night.
The increase in energy prices has been affecting the lives of Spanish people, espcially those who work at factories and plants. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
A wind turbine on a dirt road at night.
Wind Turbines at one of the many parks in La Corunã. Protests against it are noticeable though signs fixed on fences neaby. CREDIT: Matilde Viegas for The Wall Street Journal
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