In the coming weeks, Red Eléctrica will begin the preliminary works for the construction of a new 220 kV substation in Barcelona, specifically the Ronda Litoral substation, previously known as the Cerdà substation. The future substation, which will be sited closer to the Port, is intended to serve the new needs of the Zona Franca area and the new La Marina district, where 12,000 homes are to be built. Moreover, according to the proposed 2021-2026 electricity planning, this new substation will be a key facility that will allow service to be provided to the future electrification projects of the Port of Barcelona.

With a total investment of €36 million, these new facilities are scheduled to be commissioned in 2022. This new substation will bring the total number of new substations built or enlarged in Barcelona and the surrounding area in the last decade to 8, the others are the Trinitat, Guixeres, Sant Just, Gramenet, Badalona, Begues and Viladecans substations. As a whole, these substations contribute to improving the electricity supply in Barcelona's metropolitan area.

The new 220 kV substation will be built on a parcel of land very close to the current Fire Station of the Zona Franca and to the Prince of Spain dock in the Port of Barcelona, on the south side of the Ronda Litoral. Additionally, its construction is associated with the construction of three underground lines, which will link the facility with Hospitalet de Llobregat, the Barcelona Airport and the Zona Franca area. Currently, both the substation project and the Ronda Litoral-Airport line have received the administrative authorisation and the remaining pending permits are expected to be granted during the first half of 2021.

The project is the result of a significant coordination effort with the different public administrations and the various authorities involved (port, airport, ‘Zona Franca’ area) due to the complexity of building this facility in an area with a high level of infrastructure and due to the fact that it is an area with a lot of activity.