Vandellòs abandons proton therapy cancer center project

The municipal government of Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant has decided to abandon a project to build a proton therapy center for cancer treatment on the grounds of the former Vandellòs I nuclear power plant. Originally proposed in 2021 with an estimated investment of 134 million euros, the initiative was intended to utilize the site of the decommissioned facility.

Mayor Assumpció Castellví stated the project was halted due to a lack of concrete planning and the fact that the land is owned by Enresa, the public company responsible for nuclear decommissioning. Castellví also noted that because the decommissioning process will take years, proton therapy might be technologically superseded by more effective solutions by the time the land becomes available.

The local opposition, represented by the PSC, has criticized the decision. Spokesperson María José Gómez argued that the project lacked sufficient drive from the administration rather than a lack of feasibility. The opposition maintains that the center would have provided economic activity, qualified employment, and established the region as a leader in healthcare innovation.