ITER´s electrical substation will facilitate the integration and growth of renewable energies.
ITER will tender the turnkey contract for the construction of this infrastructure with a base budget of 2.5 million euros.
The Board of Directors of the Institute of Technology and Renewable Energies (ITER), an entity under the Tenerife Island Council, has given the green light to the publication of the tender documents for the turnkey contract for the construction of the 66/20 kV ITER electrical substation, with a capacity of 50 MVA, located on the entity’s plot in Granadilla de Abona. Following its approval at the board meeting held on Friday, March 22, 2024, the contracting process will be published shortly on the Public Sector Contracting Platform (PLACSP). The turnkey 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 from renewable generation plants from 20 to 66 kV, responds to a series of fundamental considerations in the energy field. On one hand, it aims to strengthen the integration of renewable generation plants into the existing electrical grid. Most networks operate at higher voltages, such as 66 kV, ensuring efficiency and stability of the electrical system. Raising the voltage in renewable installations 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 energy generation facilities, in order to ensure the safety and reliability of the electrical system, and in compliance with established regulations.
Furthermore, this initiative lays the groundwork for future expansion and growth capacity. The scalable infrastructure provided by the electrical substation ensures that it can adapt to the projected increase in both renewable generation plant installations and energy demand in the area.
The new ITER substation will enable the connection to the transmission grid of renewable energy generation plants, both from ITER and other promoters, at the Abona 220/66 kV substation, located in the Granadilla Industrial Park. This installation will increase the special regime transformation capacity at the node. Initially, 21 MW of power are planned to be connected, leaving a free transformation capacity of about 25 MW.
The ITER substation will have a 50 MVA transformer and its connection layout to the Abona substation will run parallel to the roads of the Granadilla Industrial Park.
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 Assignment Contract (CEP) between ITER and REE, which will allow the construction of the necessary infrastructure at the Abona Substation for the connection of the ITER substation and its associated renewable generation plants.