TYC Narcea must repay €31.24 million to reopen coal mines

The company TYC Narcea must return 31.24 million euros in public subsidies if it intends to reopen coal mines in Veiga de Rengos, Cangas del Narcea, Asturias. The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, through the Just Transition Institute (ITJ), has issued a provisional resolution for the reimbursement.

The requirement stems from the fact that the previous owner, Carbonar, received significant state aid between 2011 and 2017 to ensure the permanent and irrevocable closure of the mines, in compliance with European Union decisions. Because TYC Narcea’s new extraction project overlaps with the infrastructure of the previously closed site, legal mechanisms under Law 7/2021 dictate that subsidies granted for closure must be returned if operations are resumed.

Authorities clarified that this is not a punitive fine or sanction, but a legal condition necessary to restart mining activities. The ITJ has provided the company with the opportunity to present allegations before a final resolution is reached.