Please note that the Zubieta incinerator has been officially under testing since 28 November. At any time you can see the top of Zubieta, smoking. The next photo is from December 28.

GHK at its meeting on 16 December adopted a decision which brings us closer to the implementation of the 100% incinerator. The date for the official ignition of the incinerator was set on 3 March. By that day, GHK wants all the infrastructures at the top of Zubieta to be fully operational. It will be later than planned. They needed it by December. At the last meeting, however, the consortium chaired by the PNV and the PSE approved an extension of the deadline for the implementation of the works in the first phase.

"Before taking the decision, GHK has opened an information dossier to analyse the reasons for this delay, alleged by the concessionary Ekondakin, which has not been submitted. On the basis of the technical reports requested, it is noted that the weather conditions between November 2017 and July 2018 caused a justified delay of five months, which has been caused by causes not attributable to the concessionaire. With the approved extension, the dealership is committed to keeping the CMG in place by March 3," according to GHK.

Budgets of EUR 47.5 million

Even more decisions were taken in the same assembly. The Consortium approved a budget of €47.5 million by 2020. According to them, "the overall contribution of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa was EUR 6 million; on the other hand, a current income of EUR 39.2 million was obtained by applying the new tariffs. The remaining EUR 2.2 million will come from financial assets. As regards the expenditure account, it is estimated that by 2020 the operational expenditure of the Consortium will be EUR 35 million and more than EUR 8 million will be used to cover the financial interests and expenses of the Consortium. The remaining 2.2 million correspond to investments and financial operations".

One figure; EUR 28 million of EUR 35 million will be used for the management of the remainder by GHK. "To this end, two routes will be used during the financial year: one part will be treated through the Gipuzkoa Environmental Complex, depending on the authorized levels – the levels will increase progressively – and the other part, which cannot be treated until the energy recovery plant (incinerator) is fully operational, will be sent to Bizkaia. Concerning this dual management, the Waste Consortium has approved the modification of waste treatment charges with an increase of 5%. Thus, the price per tonne of rejection goes from 173,11 € to 181,36 €. The rate per tonne of bio-waste shall be EUR 147.95."