The former Lemoiz nuclear power plant is located on the coast of the province of Bizkaia.
Gobierno Vasco
The Basque Government has presented a project to develop a sole aquaculture park at the site of the former Lemoiz nuclear power plant on the coast of the province of Bizkaia.
The successful bidder, Aquacría Basordas, will carry out the initiative at a location considered ideal due to its existing infrastructure, access to seawater, and available space to accommodate industrial-scale projects.
The project will receive an estimated total investment of €170 million, implemented in three development phases over 10 years, and will cover a total area of 46,600 square meters.
Additionally, the production capacity will reach around 3,000 tons per year and will create approximately 200 jobs in roles related to R&D, technical areas, management, and auxiliary services.
In addition, production capacity is expected to reach around 3,000 tonnes per year and create approximately 200 jobs in roles related to R&D, technical fields, management, and support services.
The complex will integrate all stages of the production cycle, from hatching and larval rearing to grow-out and market distribution. It will include specialized infrastructure such as hatchery, nursery, and grow-out facilities, as well as processing, treatment, logistics, and support service installations.
The technology center AZTI will play a key role in areas such as sole farming, recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), nutrition, health and animal welfare, as well as product traceability. For its part, the public promotion and development company Azpilur Euskadi will be responsible for adapting the space and facilities of the former power plant.
It is estimated that the first sole will be ready for farming by 2029, while market introduction is expected around 2031, in line with the species' biological cycles.
"The Basque Country is once again aligning itself with the most advanced nations, which are repurposing large disused industrial or energy infrastructures—such as oil platforms—by leveraging their access to the sea for aquaculture activities. And we are doing so alongside Europe and its Ocean Pact, which identifies the blue economy as a key sector for food sovereignty, decarbonization, and biodiversity protection," said Basque Country President Imanol Pradales.
