The tender, processed in record time, seeks to award a storage system of at least 16 MW within one month. This initiative will allow for agile proposal submissions to identify the most suitable technical solutions and proceed with their contracting via emergency procedures, in accordance with the Public Sector Contracts Law.
Minister Mariano Hernández Zapata highlighted that the measure was promoted after the state authorized this solution as an emergency measure on June 30th, and following the recent energy blackout on November 2nd, which affected 50,508 supply points on the island. Zapata recalled that this action will complement pending investments in generation and electrical grids, such as the renovation of the generation units at Los Guinchos and the new substation at Las Breñas.
The projection is for the project to be awarded within a month, with subsequent authorizations processed urgently. The goal is for the batteries, which will have a storage capacity of at least two hours, to be operational during 2027. These systems will provide immediate energy response to incidents, facilitating a faster restoration of supply.
Zapata insisted that this measure is a fundamental tool for improving response capacity in critical situations but does not replace the pending investments in generation and electrical grids that La Palma needs and continues to demand from the State. He noted that the first state generation tender did not meet the island's needs, and the second tender, currently underway, is expected to assign the requested 64 MW.
