How we handle projects

The processing of projects is a legally regulated procedure for obtaining the necessary permits and authorisations for executing infrastructure.

The processing procedure

As the sole transmission company for the electrical system, we promote the transmission grid infrastructures across the national territory and are responsible for their processing.

The processing of projects is a legally regulated procedure for obtaining the necessary permits and authorisations to execute infrastructure, ensuring minimal social and environmental impact on the territory hosting the installation.

This participatory process involves the promoter, public administrations, and civil society, achieving a consensus solution that meets the needs of different stakeholders.

Preliminary consultations

This optional procedure involves Red Eléctrica presenting an environmental document to the competent authority for preliminary consultations with the corresponding public administrations and interested entities to gather the necessary information for the environmental impact assessment.

Environmental Impact Study

As project promoters, we must draft an Environmental Impact Study (EIA) that considers the potential effects of each project on the environment and preventive and corrective measures to minimise them. This study must be evaluated by the competent environmental authority, which may request clarifications and additional information for decision-making.

Project submission

Additionally, Red Eléctrica must submit the necessary documentation (the project and, if applicable, the environmental impact assessment) to the competent public administration. It must request from the corresponding public administrations a prior administrative authorization.

Public information

The substantive body sends the project and, where appropriate, the environmental impact study, to all the administrations, bodies and public service or general interest service companies owning assets and rights affected by the installation so that they can issue the corresponding report or technical conditions they deem appropriate. Likewise, an announcement is published in the corresponding official gazettes and, in the case of requesting the declaration of public utility, in a newspaper and on the notice board of the town councils, informing on the basic data of the project and making it available to the public so that they can present the allegations they deem appropriate.

Environmental Impact Report or Environmental Impact Statement

The competent environmental authority issues an environmental impact report (EIR) for a simplified environmental impact study or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a regular environmental impact study. These establish the necessary conditions and measures to minimise the project's negative environmental impacts. As project promoters, we must incorporate these conditions and measures into our project.

Administrative authorisations

Once the EIR or EIS is obtained, the competent authority will issue the corresponding administrative authorisations to execute the project (AAP, AAC, and DUP).

Monitoring and control

During project execution, Red Eléctrica must comply with the conditions and measures established in the EIR or EIS, while the administration can carry out inspections and monitoring to ensure compliance.

Environmental Impact Study

Public information

Administrative authorisations

Once the EIR or EIS is obtained, the competent authority will issue the corresponding administrative authorisations to execute the project (AAP, AAC, and DUP).

Promoter

By law, Red Eléctrica is the sole transmission company for the electricity transmission grid in Spain. Furthermore, it almost owns all the electricity transmission infrastructures.

Official body

This is the public administration body with competence over the project's final phase (electricity transmission) and issues the corresponding authorisations. It gathers reports from other public administration bodies with sectoral competencies in the project (environment, cultural heritage, urban planning, etc.).

Environmental body

This is the public administration body that drafts the scope document with the technical analysis of environmental assessment files and issues the Environmental Impact Report or Statement.

General State Administration : ministry with environmental competencies.
Autonomous community: :Authorities with environmental competencies.

Public administrations

Central and regional governments.

Official body

Public administrations

Central and regional governments.

Subject to regular environmental assessment projects of electricity transmission lines with a voltage equal to or greater than 220 kV and a length greater than 15 km, unless they are entirely underground in urbanised land, as well as their corresponding sub-stations (Annex I of Law 21/2013). Transmission lines longer than 3 km that significantly affect Red Natura 2000 or those decided by the environmental authority or requested by us as promoters. The procedure concludes with the issuance of the corresponding Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). On the other hand, those projects between 3 and 15 km long that do not affect Red Natura 2000 are subject to a simplified environmental impact assessment, concluding with the issuance of an Environmental Impact Report.

On the other hand, those projects between 3 and 15 km long that do not affect Red Natura 2000 are subject to a simplified environmental impact assessment, concluding with the issuance of an Environmental Impact Report.

Environmental Impact Study

A document drafted by Red Eléctrica, as developers of the facility, that identifies, describes, quantifies, and analyses the potential significant effects on the environment that may result from the project.

Environmental Impact Report (EIR)

A mandatory and decisive report concluding the simplified environmental impact assessment may determine whether the project must undergo a regular environmental impact assessment due to potentially significant environmental effects or that the project has no significant adverse environmental effects, according to the Environmental Impact Report. This report will indicate at least the project's characteristics and the measures planned to prevent what could otherwise have been significant adverse environmental effects.

Prior administrative authorisation (AAP)

Declaration of public utility (DUP)

It recognises transmission grid facilities as services of general interest for the expropriation of necessary properties and rights (occupation of land) and the imposition of easements, including, if applicable, the occupation of public property. Red Eléctrica obtains these properties and rights amicably through mutual agreement. Otherwise, the DUP allows initiating the procedure for urgent occupation as per forced expropriation legislation.

Administrative construction authorisation (AAC)

It allows the construction of the facility to meet the required technical standards.

Industry authorisations

Red Eléctrica is authorised to occupy properties dependent on public administrations (maritime-terrestrial public domain, public forests, urban aspects, etc.) and to cross its facilities with other infrastructures (roads, railways, etc.).

Operational authorisation (AE)

Once the project is executed, it permits us to energise the installations and proceed with their operation.

Declaration of public utility (DUP)

Industry authorisations

Red Eléctrica: a commitment to shared benefits

At Red Eléctrica, we conduct our activities with a clear public service vocation, convinced that working for society requires engaging with it. Therefore, besides meeting all legal requirements for project processing, we strive to ensure our presence in the territory translates into shared benefits with the communities hosting our infrastructure.

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Communication with the community

We operate assuming that the best knowledge of the territory lies with its inhabitants. Thus, in each project, we seek active participation from them and their representatives to ensure our facilities integrate into the local community with maximum consensus. Therefore, we aim to balance territorial, environmental, social, and economic interests.

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Contribution to local development

At Red Eléctrica, we recognise that our presence in the territory is permanent. As such, we strive to ensure the shared benefits with the community are also permanent.

As part of our commitment, we collaborate on developing local communities and conserving their natural environment, promoting sustainability as part of our shared value generation with society. We promote the restoration of areas of special environmental value and support social development programmes to ensure the benefits of the ecological and digital transition reach all residents, regardless of their location.

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Relationships with landowners

During project processing, we contact and visit each affected landowner to inform them of their specific impact and resolve any questions, aiming to reach satisfactory economic agreements regarding easements.

Transmission projects in development

We are driving the ecological transition in Spain by advancing in the deployment of renewables, strengthening interconnections and storage solutions and with other strategic energy vectors.

Projects map is available only in Spanish.

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Smart Grid Maintenance (SAGA)

We rely on an asset management system based on AI and a predictive model to optimise activity planning and maximise resource use.

More information

InfoRed

Find all the information about the electricity transmission grid facilities. Submit your request and solve any doubts.

Electricity system data

Consult the main indicators, graphs, and comparative charts to analyse and interpret the performance of the national electricity system.