The ITER power substation will facilitate the integration and growth of renewable energies.
ITER will tender the turnkey works contract for the construction of this infrastructure with a base budget of 2.5 million euros.
The Board of Directors of the Instituto Tecnológico de Energías Renovables, an entity dependent on the Cabildo de Tenerife, has given the green light to the publication of the tender documents for the turnkey works contract for the construction of the 66/20 kV ITER electrical substation, with a capacity of 50 MVA, located in the entity’s plot in Granadilla de Abona. Following its approval at the board meeting held on Friday, March 22, 2024, the procurement process will be published shortly on the Public Sector Procurement Platform (PLACSP). The turnkey works contract for the construction of this infrastructure will be tendered with a base budget of 2.5 million euros.
The construction of this electrical substation, to raise the voltage of some renewable generation plants from 20 to 66 kV, responds to a series of fundamental considerations in the energy field. On the one hand, it seeks to strengthen the integration of renewable generation plants into the existing power grid. Most grids operate at higher voltages, such as 66 kV, which ensures the efficiency and stability of the power system. Raising the voltage of renewable facilities facilitates their connection and operation in this consolidated infrastructure and reduces losses.
On the other hand, the construction of the electrical substation complies with regulations and technical standards, which often require certain voltage levels for the connection of new power generation facilities, in order to ensure the safety and reliability of the electrical system, and in compliance with established regulations.
In addition, this initiative lays the foundation for future expansion and growth capacity. The scalable infrastructure provided by the power substation ensures that it can accommodate the projected increase in terms of further installation of renewable generation plants and power demand in the area.
The new ITER substation will allow the connection to the transmission grid of renewable energy generation plants, both from ITER and other developers, at the Abona 220/66 kV substation, located in the Granadilla Industrial Park. This facility will increase the special regime transformation capacity at the node. Initially, it is planned to connect 21 MW of power, leaving a free transformation capacity of about 25 MW.
The ITER substation will have a 50 MVA transformer and the route of its connection to the Abona substation will run parallel to the roads of the Granadilla Industrial Estate.
The procedures with Red Eléctrica de España (REE) for the connection of generation units through this substation have already begun. These procedures include the signing of the Agreement for the drafting and processing of the technical administrative project, and the Project Order Contract (CEP) between ITER and REE, which will allow the construction of the necessary infrastructure in the Abona Substation for the connection of the ITER substation and its associated renewable generation plants.
