Albacete approves the repowering of Iberdrola's Isabela wind farm

The General Directorate of Natural Environment and Biodiversity of the Regional Ministry of Sustainable Development has approved, by resolution dated September 2, 2026, the temporary occupation of land from three public utility forests in the province of Albacete for the repowering of the Isabela wind farm, promoted by Iberdrola Renovables Castilla-La Mancha, S.A. The authorization is published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha number 178, dated September 16, 2026, with reference 2026/6560.

The project, processed under file SJFQ-02-280-2025, involves the decommissioning of the 64 existing wind turbines and the installation of 11 units of larger size and unit power, with the aim of maximizing the energy generated by leveraging existing evacuation infrastructures. The wind farm, in operation since November 2001, will maintain the ST Isabela transformer substation and the LAAT 132 kV D/C high-voltage evacuation line.

A project of great territorial impact

The repowering affects the Public Utility Forests (MUP) number 32 “Cuartizo de la Fuente del Buitre” and 33 “Dehesa de Navalengua”, both in the municipality of Casas de Lázaro and owned by its city council, as well as number 44 “Dehesa de Navalengua”, in Peñascosa. Of the 11 new wind turbines, 9 will be located on public forest domain land, and the current installation will be completely decommissioned from forest number 46.

• Total installed capacity: 48 MW (4.5 MW and 4.2 MW units).
• Occupied area: 25,828 m² (MUP 32), 268,973 m² (MUP 33), and 1,860 m² (MUP 44).
• Occupation term: 30 years from the signing of the specifications.
• Energy is evacuated via underground conduction to the ST Isabela 30/132 kV, next to the village of Navalengua, and from there to the Pinilla substation.

Processing and economic guarantees

The application was submitted by Iberdrola Renovables Castilla-La Mancha, S.A. on March 18, 2025, and the project has an Environmental Impact Statement approved by resolution dated February 14, 2025, from the Provincial Delegation of Sustainable Development of Albacete. The public information notice was published in the DOCM on July 30, 2025, and on the notice boards of the affected city councils, with no objections presented.

The annual occupation fees are set at €27,131.75 (MUP 32), €257,743.15 (MUP 33), and €837 (MUP 44), with bonds of €81,395.25, €773,229.45, and €2,511 respectively. 20% of each fee is allocated to the Improvement Fund, in accordance with Law 3/2008 on Forests and Sustainable Forest Management of Castilla-La Mancha.

Municipal consent and conditions

The city councils holding title to the forests gave their consent to the processing: the Plenary of Casas de Lázaro unanimously on June 24, 2025, and that of Peñascosa on July 2, 2025. The Natural Environment Service of Albacete considered the installation compatible, estimating that it will not cause serious impairment to the flora, fauna, or protected natural values, and that the occupations have no convenient substitute outside the public forests.

The occupation is granted on a temporary basis and without prejudice to ownership, without constituting a lien on the forests, and with any installations remaining unremoved once the concession is canceled reverting to the forest.

Relevance for the region

The repowering of the Isabela park is an example of the modernization process of the regional wind farm: with fewer wind turbines, greater installed capacity and efficiency are achieved, reducing the territorial impact on the public forests of Albacete. Furthermore, the operation guarantees annual income for the city councils of Casas de Lázaro and Peñascosa for three decades, contributing to the maintenance of the public utility forests and the development of the rural environment of Castilla-La Mancha.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha, no. 178, September 16, 2026, section III (Other Provisions and Acts), page 32086 (official reference: 2026/6560).