After fifty-one years of standing tall, one of the two smokestacks at the Las Caletillas thermal power station has vanished from view for the residents of Candelaria and the numerous drivers who traverse the South Highway daily. It has been half a year of challenging work to dismantle the towering 76.5-meter concrete structure, starting from the top down. An elevator was installed for operators specializing in lofty tasks, a journey taking almost 30 minutes to reach the uppermost point.
The gradual deconstruction of one of the two identical smokestacks, undertaken by the partnership of Afesa-Nervión, also involved disassembling and clearing out the materials from the now-defunct steam units. Demolishing the concrete necessitated the use of two purpose-built robots, a first for the Canary Islands.
A total of 3,053 tonnes of material, including iron, steel, concrete, aluminium, cables, and electrical equipment, have been excavated. 94% of the debris has been shipped via sea outside the Canary Islands to serve as recycled resources in facilities across Europe.
For Endesa, the removal of the towering 76.5-meter chimney, with a base diameter of 11.5 meters and 6.5 meters at the top, has been a significant undertaking. It had loomed over Candelaria since 1973, though ceased operations, alongside its twin, on the 3rd of October 2010. The company affirmed that this action aligns with the decarbonization and energy transition strategies outlined for the Archipelago. Endesa emphasised that the disappearance of one of the two colossal smokestacks – with plans to dismantle the second, pending a timeline – “serves as a symbol of a more environmentally mindful energy ethos.”
Daniel Ruiz Calle, the Head of Thermal Ventures at Endesa Generación, underscored the intricacy of the operation, which is unparalleled in the Canary Islands. He pointed out that one of the primary obstacles faced by the workers at heights is the wind, their greatest adversary. “Work must halt for safety when winds exceed 11 meters per second. Other meteorological conditions that necessitate work stoppage include heavy rain, heatwaves, and dense fog. Over the past three months, adverse weather led to a loss of ten workdays,” noted the manager.
