Catalonia launches €1.5 bn transit plan while desalination projects face two‑year delay

The Catalan government, led by President Salvador Illa, is preparing a second €1.5 billion investment package to speed up metro extensions and tram lines in the Barcelona‑Tarragona area. The plan, to be delivered through public‑private partnerships, includes extending Metro Line 1 to Badalona, Line 3 toward the Esplugues campus, Line 4 to the Sagrera hub, and adding new tram segments toward Molins de Rei and Badalona, as well as a second phase of the Tarragona tram and related road improvements.

Separately, two desalination projects worth €500 million—the expansion of the Tordera plant (Blanes) and a new facility at Foix (Cunit)—remain without a tender. Originally slated for completion by 2028, the projects have been delayed after the European Commission refused the Next Generation EU loan, pushing the expected start to 2030. The government acknowledges the lag despite earlier promises that the works were ready to proceed.