Benejama Rotonda 55-megawatt photovoltaic project dismissed in Alto Vinalopó

The General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines has dismissed the request from Renovables Rotonda, S.L. for prior administrative authorization and administrative construction authorization for the photovoltaic installation “FV Benejama Rotonda”, with 55 MW of installed capacity, and its evacuation infrastructures, agreeing to archive file SGIISE/PFot-461. The resolution is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante No. 190, dated October 6, 2026, Section I (Central Administration), page 7525/2026, and bears the signature of the general director, Manuel García Hernández.

A 2020 project hindered by the expiration of permits

The origin of the file dates back to the application submitted by the promoter on December 10, 2020, corrected on December 21 of that year, for a plant of 56.947 MW and its evacuation infrastructure. The project obtained an Environmental Impact Statement via a resolution dated August 12, 2022, from the General Directorate of Environmental Quality and Evaluation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, published in the Official State Gazette No. 201, dated August 22, 2022, and prior administrative authorization via a resolution dated October 19, 2022, from the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines, published in the Official State Gazette No. 307, dated December 23, 2022.

On April 18, 2023, the promoter requested prior authorization for the modified project and construction authorization for the plant reduced to 55 MW and the 30 kV underground lines connecting the transformation centers with the “Benejama Colectora” 30/220 kV substation, in the municipality of Villena. The file was processed in accordance with articles 127 and 131 of Royal Decree 1955/2000, of December 1, with reports from the Industry and Energy Area Department of the Government Sub-delegation in Alicante (August 21, 2023) and the Industry and Energy Department of the Government Sub-delegation in Albacete (October 10, 2023).

The decisive point was the loss of access and connection permits: on September 7, 2024, Red Eléctrica de España, S.A.U. notified the Ministry of the expiration of the permits granted under Royal Decree-Law 23/2020, of June 23. The regulation requires obtaining the administrative construction authorization within a period of 37 months from June 25, 2020, extended to 49 months by Royal Decree-Law 8/2023, of December 27.

The evacuation infrastructure, dragged along by the La Oliva project

The resolution details that several installations necessary to evacuate the energy fell outside the scope of the file and were processed in the La Oliva project (SGIISE/PFot-393), promoted by EDP Renovables España, S.L.U.:

• “Benejama Colectora” 30/220 kV electrical substation.
• “SE Benejama Colectora – SE Benejama Solar I – SE Benejama Generación 30/220 kV” 220 kV power line.
• “Benejama Generación” 30/220 kV electrical substation.
• 220 kV power line between SE “Benejama Generación” and SE Benejama 220 kV (REE).

These facilities had prior administrative authorization granted to EDP Renovables España, S.L.U. by resolution of December 12, 2022, published in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado) no. 307, of December 23, 2022, but not construction authorization. On September 23, 2026, the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines also dismissed the application from EDP Renovables España, S.L.U. for the “La Oliva” plant, 55.8 MW, and archived file SGIISE/PFot-393. Without those infrastructures, the Benejama plant lacked the mandatory construction authorization for its connection to the transmission grid.

Requirements, hearing, and appeal process

The processing accumulated several relevant administrative milestones:

• Requests for correction from the Sub-Directorate General on April 15 and July 19, 2024, answered by the promoter on June 26, July 15, and July 24, 2024.
• Access and connection permits accredited through the Grid Access Feasibility Report, the Connection Technical Conditions Compliance Report, and the Verification Report, at the Benejama 220 kV substation.
• Economic guarantee of €40/kW installed required by article 23 of Royal Decree 1183/2020, of December 29.
• Hearing process notified on September 17, 2026, responded to by the promoter on September 21, 2026, expressing their agreement with the proposal for dismissal.

Against the resolution, which does not end the administrative process, an administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) may be filed before the holder of the Secretary of State for Energy within one month from the day following its notification, in accordance with articles 121 and 122 of Law 39/2015, of October 1.

The ruling definitively closes one of the largest solar plants projected in the Alto Vinalopó and nullifies the processing initiated nearly six years ago. It affects Renovables Rotonda, S.L. as the promoter, the landowners of Villena, Campo de Mirra, Cañada, Benejama, and Caudete who had ceded land, and several municipalities that were counting on the installation for tax revenue and local employment; the archiving of file SGIISE/PFot-461 further confirms that the expiration of access and connection permits is currently the main risk for renewable projects accumulating administrative delays.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante, no. 190 of October 6, 2026, section I (Central Administration), page 7525/2026 (official reference: 2026_007525).