en.Wedoany.com Reported - Red Eléctrica is building a battery system in Sant Antoni de Portmany, Ibiza, with an investment of €77 million, a total power of 90 MW, and a capacity of 67.5 MWh. This infrastructure, integrated into the transmission grid, will strengthen the island's power system and increase the transmission capacity of the Mallorca-Ibiza interconnection from the current 100 MW to approximately 190 MW.
According to the current status of the Balearic Islands interconnection grid, it is expected that Ibiza can meet 100% of its electricity demand through this interconnection line on many days and at many times of the year, compared to the current annual average of just 65%. The project is being implemented next to the existing Sant Antoni substation. This week, Spain's Secretary of State for Energy, Joan Groizard, and the President of the Redeia Group, Beatriz Corredor, inspected the site.
Red Eléctrica positions these batteries as a key element to support the island's energy flow. Construction is currently in the electromechanical installation phase, and the 66 kV Sant Antoni substation, to which they are connected, has been expanded. The Sant Antoni infrastructure is part of a broader initiative in the Balearic Islands, alongside the battery project installed in Es Mercadal, Menorca. According to the Redeia Group, these two will constitute the largest battery system fully integrated into the transmission grid in Southern Europe and the first of its kind in Spain. The project has been included in the list of actions eligible for funding from the European Union through the "Next Generation EU" program and the "Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan."
The system consists of battery cells integrated into modular containers that house the equipment necessary for operation and include safety and environmental control measures. The Sant Antoni and Es Mercadal batteries will be equipped with a dedicated communication system called "Hermes," capable of real-time sensing of the interconnection line's status and measurement data, enhancing communication with the rest of the grid, detecting contingencies, and triggering automatic response procedures. According to the timeline of the current electricity planning, battery installation is expected to be completed in the summer, followed by a commissioning and testing phase, and ultimately commercial operation. The operational goal is to improve the efficiency of power system management and reduce CO2 emissions by maximizing the use of the Balearic Islands' power interconnections.
The implementation of the Sant Antoni battery project includes a plan to protect the Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis). Redeia Group is carrying out this action in collaboration with the Ibiza conservation organization, including surveys prior to earthworks and civil construction to locate individual lizards and compile a population census in the affected areas. Additionally, a shelter has been set up on land near the substation, enclosed with synthetic material fencing to prevent snake entry, and is subject to regular monitoring and tracking.
This battery project completes a recent investment cycle by Red Eléctrica in the transmission grid of the Pityusic Islands. In 2023, the new interconnection line between Ibiza and Formentera was commissioned, with an investment of €96 million, allowing 100% of Formentera's electricity demand to be met via the interconnection and facilitating the closure of the Es Ca Marí thermal power plant. In 2025, the 132 kV underground line between the Ibiza and Bossa substations, the new 132 kV Sant Jordi substation, and capacity increases or voltage upgrades of other existing lines were commissioned. These infrastructures constitute the so-called "Southern Axis," with an investment of €35 million, serving as an alternative to the old Es Fornàs project, avoiding the construction of a double-circuit overhead line from the west to the east of the island and a new 132 kV outdoor substation in Sant Antoni.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
