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INPRIMATU
Presentation of the project for the installation of a 50,000-plate photovoltaic plant in Agurain
  • It has been announced through the Bulletin of the Basque Country Authority that CaƱaveras Solar will make the plant. The director of CaƱaveras Solar is Rafael Benjumea, a member of the Benjumea family of the oligarchy. The project will cost $15 million. As of April 8, there is a period of 30 days to present the allegations.
Unai Lomana Uribezubia 2025eko apirilaren 08a
Abengoa enpresak Sevillan eraikitako zentral fotovoltaikoa. fizz_in_space (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Benbros Energy, the leader of the Spanish photovoltaic company, will carry out the project through its subsidiary Cañaveras Solar, whose director is Rafael Benjumea. Although the power of the project –30.9 megawatts– and other characteristics were already known, it has now been known that this electricity production capacity will be obtained through 48,960 solar panels located in Agurain, with a cost of 15.2 million euros for the execution of the park, according to El Correo.

The infrastructure will direct the energy to the Donemiliaga substation through a high voltage line. This line will go underground for the 4,252 meters that must pass from the photovoltaic plant to the electricity grid. From Donemilia, the energy will be directed to the sub-station of the park of Elgea. If the Azazeta wind farm is carried out, the energy that will be destined to the Elgea park will be shared, since the Donemiliaga and Azezeta parks will generate the energy in the project using double-sided panels made by the Chinese company Risen Energy, which will be placed on a metallic structure with the potential to be exposed to the sun, from north to south.

The Benjumea, a Francoist family of Andalusian oligarchs

The Benjumea family is the historical family of the Andalusian oligarchy. Currently Director of Benbros Energy and head of the Unión Española Fotovoltaica (Unef), Rafael Benjumea is the nephew of Felipe Benjumea, former president of Abengoamultinational. Felipe’s uncle was Rafael Benjumea, the first Count of Guadalhorce and former minister with Primo de Rivera, and Joaquín Benjumea, the first Count of Benjumea and former minister with Franco and governor of the Bank of Spain.

The Benjumea family made the most significant businesses during the Franco era. Felipe founded the company Abengoa in 1941 and his uncle Rafael, a year after his appointment as president of RENFE, authorized him to provide electrification. Since the 1980s, "Abengoa's interests were mainly protected by the PSOE umbrella, and a dense network of political-business connections was created, facilitating the expansion of the group", according to the article Élites de poder económico en Andalucía (Elites of political power in Andalusia) of the website Secretolivo.

In the 21st century, the family continued to develop businesses. He made numerous exchanges of favors with those who managed the political power of the state at every moment, often using revolving doors. According to the article by Secretoolivo, " Alberto Aza, who was the head of the Royal House between 2002 and 2011, was the public face of the shares of King Juan Carlos in the company, with the knowledge of José María Aznar. In addition, Aza’s son was a member of the board of directors of Abengoa. Juan Carlos' cousin was also a member of the board."