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We know its price and even its name from the most expensive mansion in Spain. The only thing we don’t know is who sells it.

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In Sierra Blanca, the urbanization most exclusive in Marbellawalls do not only delimit properties. They are also silent. It is the unwritten rule of Spanish luxury. The most expensive mansion of the country has just gone on sale with 5,600 square meters of luxuries and opulencewhich does not lack a fountain inspired by the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. His sale price It is 70 million euros and has absolutely everything, except the answer to the most obvious question: who is selling it? ELON MUSK VS JEFF BEZOS: STAR WARS An oasis of luxury overlooking the Mediterranean As and as highlighted ForbesSierra Blanca is one of the most exclusive urbanizations in Spain and a natural fortress for privacy. Nestled on the slope of the mountain range that gives it its name is Villa Bellagio. The impressive mansion sits on a plot of 14,000 m2 300 meters above sea level. Its gardens mix palm trees, cypresses and native species in a setting designed both for beauty and to keep its tenants out of reach. of curious looks. The 22-meter infinity pool seems to extend to the horizon, with spectacular views over the Mediterranean. A fountain, a replica of the one at the Bellagio hotel-casino in Las Vegas, greets visitors before they even cross the door. The façade, designed by the Spanish architect Jesús del Valle, is impressive with a double staircase flanked by 20 columns up to eight meters high. Engel & Völkers In fact, the house is so ostentatious that it even caught the attention of YouTuber Ibai Llanos, who dedicated it to one of his videos in which he went through it it already showed its details. The mansion was built by Joe Ricotta, founder of a logistics company in the United Kingdom and a luxury real estate developer in Spain. According to the local pressRicotta sold the property (at that time called Villa Ricotta) in 2021. for 40 million euros. However, no one knows the identity of the current owner, faithful to the tradition of discretion that prevails among the residents of the most exclusive urbanization in Spain. Thirteen suites and no random details The interior of the mansion does not disappoint those who arrive expecting opulence and luxury in abundance. The 5,600 m2 built of the mansion are distributed in thirteen suites between its two floors: four of 40 m2 each on the ground floor and eight of up to 50 m2 each on the upper floor. Engel & Völkers Each of the suites has large windows with direct views of the Mediterranean and its own marble-clad bathroom. In total, no less than 24 bathrooms spread throughout the house. The main living room exceeds 200 m2 and connects with a dining room for 14 people and an impressive 60 m2 kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. Engel & Völkers During his visit to the spectacular mansion, Ibai discovered that the entire house had a centralized home automation system from which the lighting, climate, blinds and sound are controlled in every corner of the house. An in-house electricity generator and several independent water tanks ensure that nothing ever fails, turning the lavish mansion into a self-sustaining bunker. The lower floor is the best example that Villa Bellagio is not a conventional luxury mansion and falls into another category. The spa area includes a heated indoor pool, haman, Finnish sauna, massage room and full gym. Engel & Völkers The leisure offer of the mansion includes a private cinema with capacity for 22 spectators, a double bowling alley of professional sizes, a billiard room with its own bar and a hairdressing and manicure salon for exclusive use. For motor lovers, the mansion reserves its most extravagant chapter: an air-conditioned gallery where to exhibit a collection of up to 12 vehicles as if they were museum pieces, with lighting designed to highlight every detail of their bodies. Underground, a second garage accommodates 40 more cars. In total, 52 places of parking for a collection which, in this context, no one would consider excessive. Engel & Völkers Concierge, cleaning and maintenance services with five-star hotel standards complete the proposal that, more than a home, functions as a private resort. All this behind walls that, as tradition dictates in Sierra Blanca, they reveal nothing about who lives (or has lived) on the other side of the luxurious entrance gate. In Xataka | The most expensive mansion in the world costs 1 billion dollars: the CEO of Citadel is building it in Florida Image | Engel & Völkers

want a sauna at home and don’t have room

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Most of us mortals do not have a sauna at home, we have probably never even considered it. To begin with, it is not something necessary like a shower or bathtub, but they are also very expensive and also take up a lot of space. If you are one of the chosen ones who has considered it and can afford it, but the problem is space, this German company has the solution for you: a retractable sauna. The hidden sauna. It is an invention by Klafs, a sauna manufacturer based in Germany, and will be available in summer at a price not yet confirmed. The innovation of the Klafs S1 is that it is the world’s first retractable sauna. When folded, it has a depth of 60 centimeters which, for context, is the same depth as a PAX wardrobe from IKEA. When we want to use it, we just press a button on its touch panel and magic happens: it extends up to 160 centimeters. In total it takes 45 seconds to deploy. Three sizes. Klafs will market the Sauna S1 in three different widths, depending on how many people will use the sauna. The compact one measures 142cm wide and is suitable for one or two people, the intermediate one goes up to 172cm and can accommodate two or three people, and the large one measures 202cm wide and is for three people. All models have the same depth folded and unfolded (60-160cm). Design and equipment. When folded, the sauna can pass as one more piece of furniture. It is made of walnut wood and the exterior finish can be dark walnut or matte black, which moves away from the classic design of saunas with lighter wooden doors. Inside it has a bench, adjustable lighting and integrated Bluetooth speakers. Heat and steam. The S1 has the same heat and humidity technology as other saunas from the firm. It allows you to choose between four modalities: classic sauna, tropical steam, soft steam and aromatic bath. In steam modes it reaches up to 55% humidity, so it is not considered a Turkish bath, but it is halfway there. Regarding dry heat, the maximum temperature it reaches is 80ºC, which is typical in larger saunas. Of course everything can be controlled from an app. The domestic sauna market. As we said at the beginning, a sauna is not something we usually find in a home, but there is a whole luxury market for those who want to install one at home. Klafs itself offers several models designed for the home environmentbut there are also other brands such as Whipsawwhich has a model that imitates the design of a normal wardrobe. In large areas such as Leroy Merlin Or you can also find home saunas at varying prices, although generally quite high. The most economical are the folding and portable cabins with textile walls such as the Sauna Pod which costs “only” 750 euros. Image | Klafs In Xataka | Louis Vuiton has found the formula for extreme luxury: a mansion on a private island where one night costs more than a car

how to create an interactive list so you don’t forget the things to pack

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Let’s explain to you how to create an interactive packing list with everything you have to carry in your suitcase. We are going to do this with Claudea artificial intelligence which will create a module with elements that you can select when you put them. This list will have a counter in addition to the checks, so always you will know what you have put in and what you still have to put in in your suitcase, and this way you will make sure that you don’t forget anything. There are several ways to proceed, letting Claude create the list automatically for you based on where you are going to go and other information, or by dictating the items you want to have. Automatic packing list First, you can have Claude create the packing list for you automatically. For that, you’re going to have to tell him where you are going, for how many days and the activities What are you going to want to do? You can use a prompt like this: “I want you to make me an interactive packing list. I am going to spend 5 days on the Costa Brava during Easter from April 3 to 6. There will be some hiking, trips to the beach if the weather is good and some dinner at a restaurant. Can you make me a complete suitcase list, including clothes, shoes, toiletries and various items?” The most important thing is indicate that you want it to be an interactive list. When you ask him, Claude will first look for the weather information that there will be during those days, with the temperatures that you will encounter. And based on this data and everything you have said, it will generate your packing list. As you can see, the list will indicate what each thing is for, and there will be counters with which you will know how many items on the list you have added and how much remains to be added. Besides, you can ask it to remove a group of elementssuch as removing the hiking ones because you’ve changed your mind and don’t want to go to the mountains, and Claude will redo the list to your liking. Personalized packing list item by item But if you don’t want Claude to add a bunch of stuff that you might not need, then it’s best to create your personalized packing list with the elements you have in your head. To do this, you will have to ask him for a list telling him the items you want. You can use the following prompt: “I want you to create an interactive packing list for my trip to Dublin from April 23 to 26. It should only have the items that I tell you. I want you to add: Mountain shoes, 4 long-sleeved t-shirts, 2 sweaters, 1 jacket, 2 jeans, 4 underwear and 4 pairs of socks, 1 pajamas, toiletry bag, charger for cell phone and watch, passport, ID, sunglasses.” As you can see, in the prompt we have started by telling you that we want the interactive packing list, and then We have given you the list of items we want to add. Claude himself is in charge of categorizing them. We have also specified the dates and the place we are going, then we will tell you why. When you have the list added, leave that chat and don’t touch anything else. Then, if something else occurs to you, you can go back to the chat and ask him to add or remove thingsand Claude will regenerate this list. A useful trick is that you can ask Claude if you are missing something important on your list. That is why we told him at the beginning where and when we are going, because when you ask him if you are missing something, he will be able to take this information into account and tell you the things that you may be missing. In my case, a trip to Dublin reminded me that I will need a plug adapter, and I took the opportunity to add it. In Xataka Basics | How to create a Claude AI chatbot that responds solely based on your own documents

The rarest chicken in Spain is blue and lives in Extremadura. What we don’t know is for how long

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Human beings are ungrateful animals. For decades, while we miserably worked the land, those blue chickens (rustic, tough and independent) were very good for us. The battered farmhouses of Extremadura, toasted by the sun, extractivism and simple life, were full of them. But then modernity, cities and supermarkets came… and they became a hindrance. Today, despite the fact that in recent years the institutions have stepped up, there will be about 2,000 chicken specimens Extremaduran blue. The Extremadura Blue Hen Breeders Association has 23 farms, but most people raise them for personal consumption or as a simple hobby. It is the rarest chicken in Spain and that, believe me, is saying a lot. A country without half measures. In Spain there are 21 poultry breeds in danger of extinction. This means that 95.4% of all registered native poultry breeds are threatened. In fact, 84% of all native breeds (whether they are birds or not) are in danger. And it is curious because, in short, we live in an unparalleled agricultural power. Spain is the second largest chicken producer of the European continent (only behind the United Kingdom), the third in beef and the first in pork (although swine fever can change this). Although, to tell the truth, it is not that curious. In fact, that is the problem. The emergence of industrial poultry farming since the 50s it was cornering local breeds for the benefit of commercial hybrids specialized in pure and simple production. Therefore, deep down, we are not talking about a problem of great economic magnitude. We are talking about two central issues in the present and the future of the ‘Spain emptied‘: the territorial management model and the question of what we do with genetic heritage. Since its recovery began in 1991 (when only specimens were found in five towns in the region), the situation has improved greatly. But not enough: all those questions are still on the table. And they are not easy questions to answer. Because, and in this case the blue Extremaduran hen, is a good example of the problems that arise as soon as we start working on the matter. because the underlying question is whether a livestock breed can be preserved if no one can make a living from it. And not only because the regulations They are designed for industrial poultry farming (and represents a very considerable obstacle), but for the paradox that hides in a simple Extremadura hen: the realization that not even at the time with greater institutional support (MAPA logo, breeding programs, germplasm banks, etc…) this breed can take its commercial leap. Is it a warning to sailors? Is it the future we have to live? Image | Mentxuwiki In Xataka | China is so clear that the future of pork lies in ‘skyscraper farms’ that it is doing something: taking them to other countries

The problem with microrobots is that they don’t have a “brain.” The solution has been to use Einstein’s relativity to guide them

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Making robots the size of a piece of human hair is already a reality, but it faces a big problem: they are too small to bring a “brain” on board. And it is logical, since on a microscopic scale there is no space to insert a microchip, batteries or navigation systems, so in a few words we can talk about “dumb robots” that only react to basic stimuli. But here the Einstein’s relativity has given a small solution. The solution. One of the functions of these small robots is precisely in be able to navigate the bloodstream to react to different stimuli. But the big question here is how they can navigate a bloodstream without colliding with each other. Something that was on the mind of a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania what have you seen that the key is not in making robots smarter, but in manipulating the “spacetime” through which they move. To understand this thread, you have to think about how gravity works according to the theory of general relativity. Here Einstein taught us that planets do not revolve around the sun because an invisible force pulls them, but because the mass of the Sun curves the fabric of spacetime, as with the Earth, which follows the easiest path through that curved space. To biology. Here the researchers wanted to apply this same mathematical principle to microrobotics, introducing the concept of “artificial spacetimes”. And since microscopic robots move in response to light, the scientists designed light fields projected onto a Petri dish that mimic the curvature of spacetime. In this way, the variations in light they faced acted like “artificial gravity.” In this way, the robot does not need to know where it is or where it is going. It simply turns on and moves forward, since it is the light pattern that “pushes” it to curve its path to avoid obstacles or find the exit from a maze, exactly like a ray of light curves when passing near a massive object in the cosmos. It seems like magic. In the experiment proposed by the researchers, different two-dimensional light labyrinths are projected. In this virtual scenario, they created dark areas that mathematically act as “black holes”, since when the microrobot approaches these areas, the equations that govern your response to light They are formally identical to those of the path of light falling through an extreme gravitational field. In this way, when the microrobot approaches these areas, the equations that govern its response to light are formally identical to those of the path of light falling through an extreme gravitational field. From here, using mapping, scientists managed to get these robots to ‘patrol’ specific areas, avoid obstacles and group together at an exact point. And the most interesting thing is that all this happens without a single processing chip on board the robot, since the “calculation” falls entirely on the geometry of the projected environment. A future doctor. The implications of this advance will now allow microrobots to be freed from the need to have a computer system inside them, which means they can be manufactured cheaply and even made even smaller. From here opens the door to very important medical applicationssince millions of these “reactive robots” can be injected into the human body. The objective here is to use external fields such as magnetic fields that act as a curved spacetime that allows them to move through our circulatory system to release a drug, clean arteries or perform biopsies at the cellular level. Images | Ruben Sukatendel In Xataka | Robots have a problem that no one has solved in decades: they get lost. A Spanish engineer believes she has found the key

Collapsing fiber prices in Spain has turned out very well for Digi. And still the accounts don’t work out

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Digi continues with its unstoppable pace until it aspires to become in the third Spanish operator. What might have sounded utopian not so many years ago is getting closer to becoming a reality. The new milestone for the Romanian operator is in its volume of fixed broadband clients. For the first time, they have surpassed Vodafone. The numbers. According to Expansion dataat the end of 2025 Digi has achieved a historic result. For the first time, it has reached Vodafone Spain in volume of fixed broadband customers (mainly fiber). Not only were the data spectacular in terms of volume, Digi attracted almost twelve times more users than Vodafone throughout the year. A difference in acquisition that shows the sustained growth of the Romanian operator. Far from the giants. Both Telefónica and the MásOrange group remain unbeatable, doubling the numbers of Digi and Vodafone in Spain. Despite this, Digi has become the third operator by clients in the residential market, since within Vodafone’s figures there is a significant weight of corporate business. Digi’s strategy. Prices, prices and prices. Digi’s strategy is to offer a quality service at the lowest possible price. And this works. Your Trojan horse is cheap fiberalong with mobile lines at a very reasonable price. A low cost strategy that has led it to be the absolute king in portability, something that has led its competition to sink their prices with fees aimed at directly fighting Digi. Yes, but. Despite its fantastic numbers in customer volume and portability, Digi reported 33 million in losses in 2025. The aggressive pricing strategy together with a large investment means that the operator’s profitability remains negative. Despite this, it is expected that in 2026 Digi will study big plans, like going public. Meanwhile, investment in fiber deployment, network leasing and infrastructure will continue to make it difficult to make enough money while preserving current prices. Image | Digi In Xataka | Digi wants to become one of the largest teleoperators in Spain. And that is why it has gone from 4,000 to 10,000 workers.

Netherlands warns of Russian cyberattacks against Signal and WhatsApp around the world: they don’t need malware

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When we think about applications like Signal or WhatsApp we usually immediately associate them with the idea of ​​privacy. Both have been built on a very clear promise: end to end encryption prevents third parties, including the companies themselves, from reading users’ messages. This security model has made millions of people trust these platforms for personal, professional and even sensitive conversations. However, that protection does not mean that accounts are completely safe. The intelligence services of the Netherlands have warned now of a global campaign that seeks to compromise accounts of these unused applications malware nor exploit technical flaws. The objectives. The military intelligence service (MIVD) and the general intelligence and security service (AIVD) indicate that the attacks seek to access accounts belonging to dignitaries, public officials and military personnel. Authorities also acknowledge that Dutch Government employees have been both targets and victims of these attempts. In addition, the report indicates that other profiles that may be of interest to the Russian Government, such as journalists, could also be among the recipients of this type of attack. Social engineering instead of spyware. Unlike other episodes of digital espionage that have affected messaging services in the past, the campaign described by the Dutch services does not rely on malware or the exploitation of technical flaws. The report explains that attackers mainly resort to phishing and social engineering techniques to gain access to accounts. This difference is relevant when compared to tools such as Pegasusthe famous spyware capable of infiltrating mobile phones. In this case, the goal is not to compromise the phone system, but rather to take advantage of the user’s behavior to take control of their account or link a foreign device. “Account take-over”. One of the methods is direct takeover of the account. The attackers, they explain in the report, pose as the official support team of the application and send messages to the victim alerting them of alleged suspicious activities, possible data leaks or attempts to access their account. From there they request that the user complete a verification process and share the code they receive by SMS, as well as the PIN configured in the application. If the victim provides this data, the malicious actor can take control of the account and reassociate it with a number under their control. The trick of QR and linked devices. The report also describes a second access route that does not necessarily imply that the victim loses immediate control of their account. In this case, attackers use social engineering techniques to convince the user to scan a QR code or click on a seemingly legitimate link, for example under the guise of joining a chat group. That QR or link may be designed to link the attacker’s device to the victim’s account using the apps’ linked device features. Once connected, the attacker can access the conversations and, depending on the platform and access mode, see messages in progress or even part of the history, in addition to being able to send messages on behalf of the user. What the intelligence services recommend. The report also includes several practical recommendations to reduce the risk of these types of attacks. Authorities warn that you should never share verification codes or your account PIN through messages, even if the request appears to come from the app’s support service. They also recommend distrusting links or QR codes sent by unknown contacts and always verify these requests through another channel before interacting with them. Another important measure is to periodically review the list of devices linked to the account and remove any devices that are not recognized. The document also adds other useful measures, such as activating the registration block in Signal and notifying contacts by another means if there is a suspicion that the account has been compromised. Images | BoliviaIntelligent | Also AY In Xataka | That they can hack a mobile phone just by entering a website is scary. If that mobile phone is also an iPhone, it’s terrifying

saying that opera and ballet don’t matter to anyone

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A conversation about the future of cinema in theaters unleashed, almost accidentally, one of the most unexpected cultural controversies of the final stretch of the awards season that we are experiencing. Timothée Chalamet had the unfortunate idea of ​​using opera and ballet as symbols of cultural irrelevance, and the institutions in the sector have responded, while Chalamet’s chances of winning an Oscar that many took for granted have begun to be questioned. I didn’t want to dance. Chalamet did not intend to talk about opera. The conversation, held last March 4 with his partnerInterstellar‘ Matthew McConaughey, revolved around something broader: whether theatrical cinema has a future and whether actors should beg audiences to come see it. Chalamet defended that good films (he gave as an example the Barbenheimer phenomenon) they don’t need anyone to promote them. And to illustrate the alternative, he resorted to a somewhat cornerstone image: “I don’t want to work in ballet or opera, which is like ‘hey, keep this alive even if no one cares anymore.’” And he added: “with all due respect to the people of ballet and opera.” Too late. Some answers. The institutions linked to opera and ballet were the first to respond: the Royal Ballet and Opera of London posted on Instagram on Friday a video of artists and technicians on the theater stage. In the description they invited the actor to reconsider his position, without any conflict. The English National Opera was somewhat more aggressive: posted a photo of Chalamet along with his viral date and offered him free tickets with the code “Timothée” so he could “fall in love with opera again.” The Seattle Opera went in the same direction: 14% discount on your production of ‘Carmen‘ using the same code. In a later interview, the Royal Ballet and Opera made it clear: Ballet and opera have influenced contemporary theatre, film, fashion and music for centuries, and millions of people around the world continue to attend their performances. That is, it is not a dying industry. In addition, it was mentioned how the company distributes its productions in more than 1,500 movie theaters in 50 countriesand its own executive director noted in the presentation of that season that three quarters of the institution’s activity occurs outside the Royal Opera House. The artists come in with a bang. People like the Colombian opera singer Isabel Leonard have been less diplomatic, saying on social media that “only a weak person or artist feels the need to belittle the arts that precisely inspire those who seek slower and more contemplative experiences.” The Colombian dancer Fernando Montaño published a formal letter on Instagram: comparing artistic forms, he wrote, limits growth and blocks the ability to develop one’s talent. London dancer Anna Yliaho was more succinct: Only an insecure artist, she said, destroys another discipline to elevate his own. The Irish baritone Seán Tester commented that confusing popularity with value is a fundamental error. From Spain, the orchestra director Alondra de la Parrafrom the Orchestra and Choir Foundation of the Community of Madrid extended the invitation of so many other institutions to Chalamet to come see them and change his mind. Many of these statements were collected in the aforementioned article from The Hollywood Reporter. The worst moment. The statements come at the worst possible time for Chalamet’s campaign in search of the Oscar for Best Actor for ‘Marty Supreme’, one of nine for the film, including the top prize. Chalamet has had a certainly notable career in awards, since at only thirty years old he became youngest male actor to accumulate three nominations for best performance since Marlon Brando. For months, in fact, it has been the favorite, and won at the Critics Choice and the Golden Globes. But the back-and-forth of the months leading up to the awards seems to have taken its toll on the film: first an article about director Josh Safdie’s behavior on a previous shoot. Then the defeat at the BAFTAs (without a single award and with 11 nominations, a record for failure in the contest), followed by the defeat at the SAGs, where Michael B. Jordan won for ‘Sinners’ (becoming the new Oscar favorite). And now, these statements, in line with the Chalamet’s aggressive promotion stylebut that can turn away the most traditional voters. In Xataka | Cameron’s ‘Titanic’ was going to be a flop. Until a trailer that broke several Hollywood rules changed the narrative

a textbook “if something works, don’t change it”, but with two beastly hearts

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Apple is having a big week. The company is not attending the Mobile World Congress, but has decided to talk about it this week. Yesterday he presented the iPhone 17e and today they were playing the laptops. If last year they launched the MacBook Pro with an M5 processor, it was clear that it was our turn to see the older brothers. Next, we go with all the details of the new MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max. Some beasts with eight times more AI performance (but with immense fine print). First of all, the technical sheet of the new laptops. Technical sheet of the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max 14 inch macbook pro 16 inch Macbook Pro screen 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR 3,024 by 1,964 pixels ProMotion technology with up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate HDR 1,600 nits (peak) 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR 3,456 by 2,234 pixels ProMotion technology with up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate HDR 1,600 nits (peak) processor Apple M5 Apple M5 Pro Apple M5 Max Apple M5 Pro Apple M5 Max RAM 16 to 128 GB 24 to 128 GB storage 1TB to 8TB 1TB to 8TB ports SDXC card slot HDMI port 3.5mm headphone jack MagSafe 3 port 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) SDXC card slot HDMI port 3.5mm headphone jack MagSafe 3 port 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) WEIGHT 1.55kg 2.14kg webcam and sound 12MP Center Stage and Top-down View Camera Six Dolby Atmos speakers 12MP Center Stage and Top-down View Camera Six Dolby Atmos speakers battery 72.4Wh Fast charging with a 96W adapter 100Wh Fast charging with 140W adapter operating system macOS 26 Tahoe macOS 26 Tahoe price From 1,929 euros From 3,049 euros Identical on the outside We said it in analysis of the MacBook Pro with M5: Apple is one of the few companies that can afford to launch a generation without it being noticed. With the iPhone it is something that was set in stone with the notch, now with the ‘Dynamic Island’ and with the MacBook the same thing is happening. They made the change by introducing the notch and giving us connection ports again and, since then, the changes have been more internal than external. In this sense, the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro are no exception. In development…

We don’t know what to do with the old coal mines. Switzerland’s idea is to turn them into a giant “battery”

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In the bowels of the Bierzo region of León, where coal was the absolute king for decades, the silence of the abandoned and flooded galleries is about to be broken. But this time there will be no pickaxes, no minecarts, no black ore. The new gold of the mining basin is water, and those in charge of extracting its potential come from the Alps. The Swiss energy company Alpiq has set its eyes on this ruined industrial legacy to transform it into a colossal natural “battery” that promises to be the energy engine of the future in Spain. A million-dollar purchase in El Bierzo. The news that has shaken the local and international energy panorama is the acquisition of the “CDR Navaleo” macroproject by the Swiss multinational Alpiq, as detailed in their press release. However, as local media describethis pumped hydroelectric energy storage project had initially been developed by Erbiergía, a company promoted and controlled by the well-known mining businessman Manuel Lamelas Viloria. Despite the sale, the Bercian promoter will maintain a stake in the company to continue collaborating and supporting its development on the ground. The project figures are colossal. Although two years ago the project has already obtained a powerful grant Of 35.5 million euros from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition (Miteco), the total investment necessary to build this megastructure is much greater. Now, as advanced in ElDiario.esthe estimated budget exceeds 300 million euros, but other sources raise the investment figure above 400 million, placing it in a range of between 420 and 450 million euros. And why Spain? To understand the magnitude of Navaleo, you have to look at the sky. Spain has very ambitious goals of penetration of renewable energies, such as solar and wind, but these sources are intermittent: it is not always sunny or the wind blows when we turn on the switch at home. Therefore, the electrical system urgently needs “storage and flexibility to guarantee the stability of the network,” explained by the Swiss company. That is where this plant comes in, which will contribute 535 megawatts (MW) of flexible capacity to the Spanish grid, according to local media. To get an idea of ​​its size, the current third vice president, Sara Aagesen, noted during a visit to the area that “all residential buildings in the province of León could be supplied with the annual production of this CDR from Navaleo”, as they have collected in The Economist. The impact transcends Spanish borders. To understand the phenomenon, the importance of infrastructure must be configured. The European Commission has included Navaleo on its list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI)highlighting its strategic value for the energy security of the entire continent, which also opens the door to better financing through the European Investment Bank. For the Swiss company, which has been operating in the Spanish market for 25 years, this is a major milestone: This is its first large-scale hydroelectric project outside of Switzerland. The engineering behind the “battery”. The technical mechanism is as fascinating as it is colossal. The facility will operate through a closed-circuit pumped hydroelectric energy storage system. In practice, it consists of taking advantage of groundwater from old mining operations, as explained in the local media. The system will pump water from the Tremor River area to a higher elevation, where it will be stored in a pond. When the country needs electricity, that water will be released through a large pipe so that it passes through a turbine and generates energy. This closed-loop design will provide the electrical grid with at least eight hours of uninterrupted energy storage, literally acting as an immense rechargeable water battery. But an abandoned mine? Used old coal mine poses obvious doubts about toxicity. Currently, abandoned mines are flooded and their waters contain minerals and contaminants. Far from being a problem, this is one of the greatest added values ​​of the project. The plant is called “CDR” precisely because it is a Reversible Treatment Plant. “Through our asset we are going to offer flexibility and storage, but we are also going to offer an environmental benefit. We are going to drain the contaminated water from the mines and purify it,” explains Amédée Murisier, director of Alpiq in statements to The Economist. In this way, an environmental liability and degraded land is transformed into a clean energy asset. Furthermore, viability is assured: the company already has a water concession granted for a period of 75 years, which guarantees long-term operational continuity. Forecasts and deadlines. The macroproject will extend through the Bercian municipalities of Torre del Bierzo, Castropodame, Congosto and Molinaseca, areas hard hit by the closure of mining. As for the deadlines, there are certain nuances. While the Viloria Group I hoped to start construction this year, the new Swiss owners apply their well-known precision and caution. Amédée Murisier warns that there is still a year and a half of work ahead to refine the geological studies and detailed engineering before making the final investment decision. What is certain, and what all actors agree on, is that the plant will enter commercial operation in the early 2030s. Where before Leonese miners went down into the bowels of the earth to extract coal with their pickaxes, in a few years thousands of liters of purified water will flow, pushed by Swiss technology. The Navaleo project is not only a work of pharaonic engineering; It is the perfect metaphor for the energy transition. A textbook circular economy that demonstrates how the old industrial ghosts of Bierzo can be reconverted, given a facelift and end up being the master key to ensuring the green and electric future of Spain. Image | freepik Xataka | Far from Grazalema and the reservoirs, Andalusia has another serious problem: completely collapsed mining ponds

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