Red Eléctrica de España will invest 434 million euros in the development of the Canary Islands transmission grid so that it can integrate the generation envisaged in the Canary Islands Wind Energy Plan and contribute to the achievement of a more sustainable, safe and efficient energy model in the archipelago. This figure is part of the overall 1.55-billion-euro investment that the Company has foreseen for the 2010-2019 period. The investment of Red Eléctrica in the Canary Islands is broken down into four main areas: the aforementioned wind energy plan, the interconnections between islands, the improvement of grid assets (MAR project) and the Soria-Chira pumped-storage hydroelectric power station, whose investment will total 320 million euros.

In accordance with the Plan, the quota of new wind power generation projects will reach 403.2 megawatts. The electricity transmission grid must have the necessary energy evacuation capacity for this new renewable generation before the end of 2018, therefore Red Eléctrica is making an important effort to manage the access and connection to the grid requested by the promoters, coordinate the permitting processes for the required infrastructure projects with the corresponding public administrations, and build the infrastructure within the established deadlines.

In addition, other facilities that complement the aforementioned infrastructure have been planned and projected, seeking to provide the transmission grid with the robustness and capacity necessary for the evacuation of the wind energy generation capacity foreseen under the plan, and which in turn will make it possible to move forward in the development of new renewable energy projects. The latter are concentrated in the islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

In Gran Canaria, with an investment of 32.7 million euros, the 66 kilovolts (kV) Aldea Blanca substation has been enlarged and the 66 kV Arinaga and Agüimes substations and their  associated connection lines are currently under construction. In Tenerife, 80.5 million euros will be invested in the enlargement of the 66 kV Tagoro substation and in the construction of the 220/66 kV El Porís and Abona substations and their associated lines.

In Lanzarote, with an investment of 71.1 million euros, the 66 kV Callejones substation has been built and, in addition to this, the projects for the 132 kV Tías-Playa Blanca line and the 132/66 kV Tías and Playa Blanca substations have been planned. In Fuerteventura, an investment of 217.7 million euros has been earmarked for the construction of the 132 kV Jares substation and its connection line, which should be supported by other grid developments: the new 132 kV La Oliva-Puerto del Rosario-Gran Tarajal-Matas Blancas axis, the 132 kV La Oliva, Puerto del Rosario, Gran Tarajal and Matas Blancas substations, and the new 66 kV La Oliva-Corralejo and Puerto del Rosario-Salinas lines.

In addition, the bolstering of the interconnection between Lanzarote and Fuerteventura will enable both islands to form a single electricity system that will result in greater efficiency and improve their capacity to safely integrate the new renewable generation. The investment planned for this project is 32.1 million euros.

The Canary Islands Wind Energy Plan represents a huge step forward towards an energy model in the archipelago that is more sustainable, safe and efficient. It is an ambitious challenge driven by the various public administrations and which Red Eléctrica has included in its Strategic Plan. To achieve said energy model, the installation of new renewable energy generation facilities and the construction of the infrastructure necessary for their connection are essential, but equally as important and essential are: a robust and meshed electricity transmission grid with sufficient capacity, interconnections between island systems, and energy storage capacity as a tool for system operation.

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