Red Eléctrica, the Redeia company responsible for the operation and transmission of the national electrical system, has completed civil engineering work for the underground line between Ibiza and Platja d'en Bossa, a key infrastructure of the South Axis. This includes a range of investments in the Transmission Grid that will strengthen the security and quality of supply and facilitate progress in the island's energy transition.

With the civil engineering works completed, the construction of the underground Ibiza-Bossa line – a double circuit of 132 kV spanning 4.7 kilometres – has already entered the asphalt paving, power cable laying, and joint configuration phases. With the upcoming start of the tourist season, in coordination with the island and local institutions of Ibiza, a decision will be made whether at any point the work should be postponed until after the summer, with the aim of avoiding or minimising the impact on mobility and thus not interfering with tourist activity.

The prediction is that the construction of the Ibiza-Bossa line, a project with an investment of 15 million euros, will be completed by the end of this year, with the line expected to enter electrical service in 2025.

New Phase in the Construction of the Underground Ibiza – Bossa Line

As of today, civil engineering work on the Ibiza-Bossa line has been completed, with the exception of two points in the town of Ibiza, in Cas Dominguets, and between the Can Mises and Sant Antoni roundabouts. Work will continue in May, with an alternative access and exit to the industrial area for the former and without affecting traffic in the latter. 

The two horizontal directional boreholes required by the infrastructure have also been completed. These two microtunnels have avoided any interference with mobility on the strategic E-20 and E10/EI-600 roads, which the line crosses. The first was done at the exit of the Ibiza sub-station, spanning 129 meters, and the second at the entrance to Bossa, measuring 132 meters.

All the joint chambers, where the different cables will be connected and electrically secured in the subsequent phases of the work, have also been constructed.

The asphalt paving and cable laying work will continue over the coming months and will be carried out in sections according to the criteria set by the town councils of Ibiza and Sant Josep, as well as the Insular Council of Ibiza.

The South Axis

The South Axis is structured as a project agreed upon by Red Eléctrica, the General State Administration, and local, island, and regional administrations. It serves as a more sustainable alternative to the Es Fornàs project and has avoided a double circuit aerial route that would have crossed the island from east to west, as well as the construction of a new 132 kV open-air sub-station in Sant Antoni. 

It includes the aforementioned Ibiza-Bossa line; the upgrading of all existing electrical transmission lines in Ibiza, already completed; a new 132 kV park adjacent to the existing 66 kV at the Sant Jordi sub-station, which is being finalised; and the installation of storage batteries as a fully integrated element in the Transmission Grid at the existing Sant Antoni sub-station. 

To date, in addition to the significant progress on the Ibiza-Bossa line, the upgrading process of all existing transmission lines is 100% complete, and the equipment for the new 132 kV substation adjacent to Sant Jordi has already been installed, with an investment of 9 million euros. 

The completed upgrades are part of Red Eléctrica's strategy to maximise the use of existing infrastructure and thus avoid new aerial routes, and have encompassed all lines in Ibiza. 

From 2015 to 2024, upgrades began with the lines in the north of the island (Torrent-Santa Eulària/Santa Eulària-Sant Antoni and Sant Antoni-Sant Jordi), and then proceeded to those that cross the island from east to west and those in the south (Eivissa-Sant Antoni/Ibiza23-Bossa y Bossa-Sant Jordi). These actions, with an investment of 2 million euros, have resulted in increases in the transmission capacity of these lines between 15% and 35%, thus maximising their use.