• Earlier today, the Regional Councillor for the Environment and Regional Planning of the Regional Government of Galicia, Beatriz Mato, visited the restored areas of the former Lignitos de Meirama mine (Limeisa), which includes a large artificial lake and the environmental restoration of the former operation.

GAS NATURAL FENOSA has begun the final stage of filling in Lake Meirama (Cerceda), which will reach completion in late April 2016 with 148 cubic hectometres of high-quality water. The lake forms part of the environmental rehabilitation project for the former lignite mine in Meirama. Earlier today, the Regional Councillor for the Environment and Regional Planning of the Regional Government of Galicia, Beatriz Mato, was given a tour of the lake alongside the General Delegate of GAS NATURAL FENOSA in Galicia, Manuel Fernández Pellicer, who explained the steps taken by the company to restore an area of over 1,000 hectares.

They were joined on this tour by the Director of Augas de Galicia, Roberto Rodríguez; the Deputy Mayor of Cerceda,Begoña Rodríguez; and, on behalf of GAS NATURAL FENOSA, the Director of Natural Resource Operations, Ana Jardón, and the Deputy Director of Mining Asset Operations, Roberto González Philippon.

The project, which has a budget of 60 million euros, consists of creating a large lake in the former mining pit (measuring 2.2 km in length and 1 km in width for 171 ha) and reforestation of the land and slag heaps. The environmental rehabilitation project will allow the integration of the operation's surroundings and will provide a boost for economic and tourism development in the area.

450,000 trees planted

In order to recover biodiversity in the area, species diversification within the most productive groups has been employed. This will be used to test adaptation by these species and to create soils. Some naturally-regenerating forest areas are also being reserved for the purpose of having a natural ecosystem, thus contributing to conserving habitats and their associated species. GAS NATURAL FENOSA has planted 450,000 trees in the restored area.

A team of specialists from the 'Encoro do Con' Hydrobiology Station of the University of Santiago de Compostela presented an exhaustive inventory in 2015 on the biodiversity in the lake and its surrounding area. This led to the identification of 839 plant and animal species, some of particularly high conservational value.

Future water reservoir for A Coruña and its region

In the future, Lake Meirama will be transferred by GAS NATURAL FENOSA to the Hydraulic Public Domain. The Regional Government of Galicia will then be able to manage it through Augas de Galicia.

Since the filling process began, the company has been applying strict water quality controls and has taken over 300,000 readings. The good quality of the water in the future Meirama Lake and its strategic location at the river headwaters makes it a future water reservoir for the municipality of A Coruña and its area of influence, with a view to strengthening the supply system in the region of A Coruña with an additional volume of approximately 24 cubic hectometres.

Meirama, 22 April 2016.

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Gas Natural Sdg SA issued this content on 22 April 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 02 May 2016 14:58:03 UTC. Original document available at http://www.prensa.gasnaturalfenosa.com/en/gas-natural-fenosa-begins-final-stage-of-filling-in-lake-meirama-cerceda-which-will-conclude-in-april/