• It will connect the transmission grid to the Soria-Chira reversible hydroelectric power station.
• Investment in the substation and associated lines amounts to 54 million euros.

The President of the Canary Islands Government, Fernando Clavijo, and the Chairman of Red Eléctrica de España, José Folgado, today inaugurated the new 220/66 kilovolt (kV) Santa Agueda electricity substation, a key element facility for the development of the new energy model of the Canary Islands, in which a total of 23.5 million euros was invested. In addition to the aforementioned investment amount, there will be a further investment of 30.5 million which will be spent on the associated 220 and 66 kV lines, representing a total investment of 54 million euros.

The opening ceremony was attended by the delegate of the Government in the Canary Islands, Enrique Hernández Bento; the President of the Island Council of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales; the Mayor of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Marco Aurelio Pérez; the Mayoress of Mogán, Onalia Bueno; the CEO of Red Eléctrica, Juan Lasala; and the General Managers of the Transmission and System Operation Divisions of the Company, Eva Pagán and Miguel Duvison.

The 220/66 kV Santa Agueda substation is essential for both the strengthening and meshing of the transmission grid of Gran Canaria and to feed the 66 kV grid in the south of the island. It will also connect with the Soria-Chira reversible hydroelectric power station, a facility that is indispensable in order to take advantage of the surplus renewable energy in Gran Canaria.

Consisting of a 220 kV switchyard and another one of 66 kV, with armoured technology GIS (Gas Insulated Switchgear), which requires less space and is more reliable than a conventional substation. It is built with criteria for its integration into the environment to reduce its visual impact and will connect with the 220 kV switchyards of the Jinámar and Barranco de Tirajana power stations.

Thanks to this facility, the security and reliability of the electricity supply will be improved in the south and southwest of Gran Canaria, which represents 30% of total demand on the island, contributing to the economic development of the area.

Similarly, it will contribute to changing the energy model of the Canary Islands for which Red Eléctrica has put in place a major investment plan designed to guarantee a more secure, efficient and sustainable electricity supply. The plan foresees the strengthening of the transmission grid meshing; the development of energy storage systems to serve as operation tools to improve the sustainability of the electricity system; the construction of new interconnections between islands and new electricity lines for the integration of renewables, and the improvement of the quality of existing infrastructure.

Of the planned investment by Red Eléctrica to achieve these goals, 991 million euros are earmarked for transmission grid development in 2015-2020, 150 million for the MAR project of improvement for those assets acquired by the Company in 2010, and 320 million euros for the Soria-Chira reversible hydroelectric power station project.

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