AROUND 200 people held a protest last Wednesday (May 23), in front of the Civil Governor’s office in Faro, to oppose electricity company REN’s planned pylon route through Vale Fuzeiros, Silves.
They have appealed to the government to force REN to move the planned route further north, where there is little habitation, unlike Vale Fuzeiros where around 200 residents would be affected.
REN originally planned a route further north but, according to a spokesperson, it was not feasible. Residents believe that the route through Vale Fuzeiros is the cheaper option for REN, which they believe is the reason for altering the original route. The construction project will eventually link Tunes and Portimão power stations, and the work is expected to be finished by the end of this year. The residents say they are not against the project as a whole, as it will reinforce the electricity distribution throughout the region, but they are against the pylons being erected through their area.
REN sent a letter to São Bartolomeu de Messines Junta da Freguesia to inform local residents that work was due to start in the area on Monday, May 28, and would continue down towards Vale Fuzeiros.
