Soto de la Barca: The abandoned Asturian village left empty by coal plant closure

Soto de la Barca, an abandoned village in Tineo, Asturias, is being referred to as the ‘Asturian Chernobyl’ due to its deserted state, despite never having hosted a nuclear reactor. The settlement was established in 1965 to support a coal-fired thermal plant operated by Naturgy, which utilized coal from southwestern Asturias and northern León.

Designed by architect Ramón Vázquez Molezún, the town was built to house approximately 500 residents and included infrastructure such as a school, cinema, social club, swimming pool, and medical clinic. At its peak in 2000, the plant produced 3,855 GWh of electricity. However, production declined significantly over the following decade.

The plant's closure process began in 2016 with the shutdown of its smallest unit, followed by Naturgy's request to close the remaining sections in 2018. The facility officially left the grid in June 2020. This closure resulted in the loss of approximately 180 jobs and led to the gradual emptying of the village as residents left following the cessation of local employment.