en.Wedoany.com Reported - Iberdrola España has recently completed the electromechanical technological upgrade of the Valdecañas pumped-storage hydroelectric plant in the province of Cáceres, increasing the facility's generation capacity by 355 MW and boosting its energy storage capacity by approximately 210 GWh. The plant has simultaneously integrated a 15 MW, 7.5 MWh hybrid battery system, which, in synergy with the hydraulic modernization, pushes the total storage scale of the Tagus River basin to around 210 GWh. This storage volume can match the annual electricity demand of approximately 60,000 households or meet the total electricity consumption of the Extremadura region for more than two weeks.
The upgraded plant has successfully executed its first pumping cycle, connecting the Alcántara and Valdecañas reservoirs to form a substantial "super battery." This system can absorb surplus electricity when wind and photovoltaic output is abundant and release hydropower during periods when generation drops and consumption rises, thereby strengthening the grid integration and consumption of renewable energy. The entire renovation process involved no new civil works, and the original reservoir water levels and transmission lines remained unchanged, effectively reducing the environmental impact of construction.
Through coordinated multi-reservoir operation, the Torrejón-Valdecañas cascade not only plays the regulating role of a giant hydraulic battery but also helps manage flood peaks and safeguard the safety of downstream communities and ecological stability. Iberdrola's total installed hydropower capacity in Extremadura is approximately 2,000 MW, and its pumped-storage capacity across Spain exceeds 4,200 MW. The company has stated that promoting the construction of new pumped-storage projects in the future will still rely on long-term water use rights and robust revenue mechanisms.
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