Valiente II Wind Farm (88.4 MW): Forced Expropriation in Huesca is Now Legal

Key data

Landowners in Gurrea de Gállego, Alcalá de Gurrea, Almudévar, Lupiñén-Ortilla and La Sotonera (Huesca) face a new legal reality as of October 22, 2026: the public utility declaration of the Valiente II wind farm enables Renovalia Guara, SLU to initiate forced expropriation proceedings over the land it needs and over which it does not yet have legal title. The Resolution of October 1, 2026 from the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines is the regulation that makes this possible.

This declaration is not a minor formality: it is the legal instrument that transforms a private electricity generation project into an action of general interest, with all the consequences that this implies for affected landowners.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution grants Renovalia Guara, SLU the public utility declaration of the Valiente II wind farm and all its evacuation infrastructure. In practical terms, this means that the promoter is enabled to:

• Forcibly occupy private land over which it does not have prior legal title.
• Initiate expropriation proceedings in accordance with forced expropriation legislation.
• Execute the works of the park and its evacuation facilities with legal backing of general interest.

The authorized infrastructure includes the following elements:

During the proceedings, two relevant conflicts were resolved:

• Almudévar Water Users Community: the conflict was resolved through a collaboration agreement between the parties.
• Agrícola Manzana: the conflict was resolved by burying part of the evacuation line to minimize impact on its activity.

However, the public utility declaration does not mean the immediate start of works. The following sectoral authorizations remain pending:

• Public water domain authorization.
• Authorization in watercourse police zone.
• Resolution of railway impacts.
• Occupation agreement with Red Eléctrica de España.

Economic and operational impact

For affected landowners, the impact is immediate and direct: the public utility declaration activates the promoter's right to expropriate. This does not mean that expropriation is automatic, but rather that the owner loses the ability to block the project simply by refusing to negotiate. From now on, negotiation takes place in a context where the promoter has legal backing to force occupation if there is no voluntary agreement.

For Renovalia Guara, SLU, the declaration unblocks project execution and reduces the legal risk associated with lack of agreements with landowners. However, the four pending sectoral authorizations (public water domain, watercourse police zone, railway impacts and agreement with Red Eléctrica) remain operational bottlenecks that may delay the start of works.

For the affected municipalities, the declaration implies that the project advances with state backing, which limits the capacity for local opposition once this administrative phase is overcome.

Who does it affect?

• Private landowners in Gurrea de Gállego, Alcalá de Gurrea, Almudévar, Lupiñén-Ortilla and La Sotonera (Huesca) over which the park layout or its evacuation infrastructure runs.
• Renovalia Guara, SLU, the project promoter, which can now initiate forced occupation proceedings.
• Almudévar Water Users Community, which has already signed a collaboration agreement with the promoter.
• Agrícola Manzana, whose conflict was resolved with partial burial of the line.
• Red Eléctrica de España, with whom the occupation agreement for the 220 kV evacuation line remains pending.
• Municipalities of the five municipalities involved.
• Companies with agricultural, livestock or industrial activities in the affected municipal areas that may see the use of their land or infrastructure altered.

Practical example

A farmer who owns a plot in the municipality of Almudévar who had previously refused to sign any agreement with Renovalia Guara finds himself, as of October 22, 2026, in a different legal position. The public utility declaration enables the promoter to initiate the forced expropriation proceeding. The owner can no longer block the project: he can negotiate the fair compensation (the economic compensation for the occupation or expropriation of his land), but cannot prevent occupation if the promoter decides to activate the expropriation procedure.

In parallel, the Almudévar Water Users Community, which did reach an agreement through a collaboration agreement, has a stronger position: its conditions are agreed and recorded in that agreement, which gives it greater legal certainty against possible project modifications.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your land is included in the layout: landowners in the five affected municipalities should check if their plots are within the scope of the declaration by consulting the file at the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines or at the corresponding municipalities.
2. Seek legal advice before negotiating: once the expropriation route is activated, negotiation of fair compensation is the only real margin for action. Having a lawyer specialized in expropriations allows better defense of the land value.
3. Review agreements already signed: if an agreement already exists with Renovalia Guara (as in the case of the Almudévar Water Users Community), it is advisable to review that the agreed conditions are maintained and that the agreement covers all possible impacts.
4. Monitor the status of pending authorizations: the four sectoral authorizations not yet resolved (public water domain, watercourse police zone, railway impacts and agreement with Red Eléctrica) may modify the layout or project conditions. Monitoring their resolution is key to anticipating changes.
5. Communicate with the municipality: the affected municipalities may have additional information about the execution schedule and planned occupation proceedings.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-22069