Endesa and Red Eléctrica de España (REE) have successfully concluded the latest technical tests to unify the electrical systems of Tenerife and La Gomera. After completing the tests without incident, both islands have been operating in perfect synchrony since Tuesday through an underwater link. This advancement represents a significant transformation for the Archipelago's energy model and bolsters the supply in the province of Tenerife.
The definitive synchronization occurred at exactly 11:02 AM this Tuesday, confirming the correct functioning of all technical elements and coupling switches. Following the operational success, Red Eléctrica de España is authorized to permanently connect both systems, resolving what has been described as the project's greatest engineering challenge.
The electrical interconnection via submarine cable and the commissioning of key new infrastructures, such as the El Palmar substation in La Gomera, mark a turning point for the supply of both islands. The project pursues a dual strategic objective: to provide greater robustness and stability to the electrical grid against potential blackouts and, in parallel, to multiply the capacity for evacuating clean energy from the renewable energy parks installed in La Gomera.
To materialize this infrastructure, e-distribución (Endesa's network subsidiary) has executed an investment of just over eight million euros in the El Palmar plant. The facilities, occupying a surface area of 2,700 square meters, directly serve the island's 15,610 residential and industrial customers.
The unification of networks through submarine cables is the strategy of the autonomous community and the State to end the isolation of the island electrical systems in the Canary Islands, which are structurally more fragile. By connecting a smaller island to a larger one, a safety mesh is created that allows for surplus energy and guarantees the electrical flow if a local generation plant fails.
The El Palmar substation, considered the most modern in the Canary Islands to date, is equipped with two new 66/20 kilovolt (KV) and 40 megavolt-ampere (MVA) transformers each. The plant's engineering already includes space and technical requirements for a future expansion with a third transformer of identical characteristics, should the island's demand require it.
Endesa's distribution complex directly links with the transport network of Redeia (the parent company of REE). This connection is made through a double three-phase polar submarine circuit that joins the El Palmar facilities with the Chío substation, located in the southwestern municipality of Tenerife. The preliminary maneuvers developed during this month have certified the safety, quality, and coordinated response of the entire submarine electrical network.
