• The island’s transmission grid is already back in service under the same conditions it was before the waterspout hit last Sunday
• The works necessary to replace the damaged towers on the Dragonera-Ciudadela line were completed today.
• Work has been completed ahead of schedule thanks to the Island’s Special Maintenance Plan that has been key to making both emergency manpower and technical resources available.

Red Eléctrica de España has completed the power restoration works of the high-voltage power lines on Menorca. The Company has today brought the Dragonera-Ciudadela line (37.5 kilometres) back into service, once the works to replace the towers damaged by the electrical incident caused on 28 October when the island as hit by a waterspout which struck land in a south to north direction. Four complete electricity towers have been replaced, structural damage repaired for three others and the corresponding conductors have been restrung or repaired.

With the bringing back into service of this line, in addition to the Dragonera-Mercadal (15.5 kilometres) which has been operational since 30 October, the two power lines that were affected by the incident are already back in service, the Ciudadela substation is again connected to the grid and the overall transmission grid on the island is now back to normal.

From the moment the works began, and despite the adverse weather conditions and the difficulties posed by the orography of the area, a team of more than 40 experts has been working round the clock to remove damaged materials and undertake power restoration works since the partial power outage occurred.

All the programme of planned actions has been carried out more swiftly thanks to the Special Maintenance Plan that was activated in 2018 and that has both the emergency manpower and technical resources required to bolster the security and reliability of the Menorca transmission grid and, if needed, to reduce the time required to restore the supply.

The timely deployment within the agreed times of the cranes required to complete the work, despite the maritime transport conditions, and the hiring of a helicopter with the capacity to carry heavy loads that was used to carry out hoisting and inspection tasks, together with the prior analysis of possible contingencies, has made it possible to make full use of all available manpower and material resources on the island in record time.

In addition to having available the necessary spare parts to accelerate the restoration works, Red Eléctrica de España has deployed several teams of workers in the field who have been working together in a coordinated manner round the clock in shifts, both for the dismantling of damaged towers and the assembly of towers as well as to conduct the consolidation works in the area. All actions have been carried out while ensuring the utmost safety of all personnel involved.

In order to minimise waiting times for service restoration, Red Eléctrica has collaborated with Endesa so that emergency generators could be deployed in order to temporarily restore the electricity supply via the electricity distribution network.

Lastly, the Company has kept the relevant authorities fully abreast of the situation and works carried out at all times and has coordinated all its work with the public administrations and services involved, not only at the regional and local level, but also with the central government.