The Ministry authorizes a 140 MWh battery module at the Montesol plant

The General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge has granted Planta Solar OPDE 6, S.L. the prior administrative authorization and the administrative construction authorization for the battery storage module “Hibridación Montesol”, with 26.74 MW of installed capacity and 140 MWh of storage, for its hybridization with the existing “Montesol” solar photovoltaic plant, of 41.6 MW, in the municipality of Cañada Vellida. The decision is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Teruel no. 203, dated October 22, 2026, with official reference no. 2026-2974, and bears the signature of the director general, Manuel García Hernández.

A file initiated in 2024 and processed via simplified procedure

On August 7, 2024 —with a subsequent correction on December 4, 2024— the promoter requested the prior administrative authorization, the construction authorization, and the simplified environmental assessment of the project. The file was initiated in the Industry and Energy Department of the Government Sub-delegation in Teruel and processed in accordance with articles 127 and 131 of Royal Decree 1955/2000, of December 1.

The processing took advantage of the reduction of deadlines under article 6 of Royal Decree 997/2025, of November 5, on urgent measures for the reinforcement of the electrical system, a regulation that introduces an environmental assessment exemption for certain hybridizations of storage modules. Previously, on December 11, 2025, the General Directorate of Environmental Quality and Assessment had concluded that it was not necessary to subject the project to an ordinary environmental assessment, as no significant adverse effects were foreseen.

The “Montesol” photovoltaic plant is definitively registered in the Administrative Registry of Electric Power Production Facilities under number RE-113238 and has an environmental impact statement from the Aragonese Institute of Environmental Management (INAGA), dated October 11, 2018, file INAGA 500201/01A/2018/9252. Red Eléctrica de España, S.A.U. updated the access and connection permits at the Mezquita 220 kV substation on November 8, 2024.

Technical characteristics of the installation

According to the resolution, the module will have the following specifications:

• Storage type: LFP (lithium iron phosphate).
• Installed storage capacity: 26.74 MW, according to article 5 of Royal Decree 997/2025.
• Battery system: 28 SolBank 3.0 modules from Canadian Solar, 1,250 kW each, with a total capacity of 35 MW.
• Storage capacity: 140 MWh, with a duration of 4 hours.
• Inverters: 7 PCSK FP3820K FRAME 4 DC/AC units, 3,820 kW at 40 ºC.
• Transformer stations: seven 3.82 MVA units from Power Electronics.
• Transformation capacity: 62.5 MVA.
• Access capacity: 40 MW for generation and 26.74 MW for consumption.

Evacuation will be carried out via a 5.7 km 30 kV medium-voltage underground line to the existing substation SET Ampliación Sierra Costera II 220/30 kV, where new line bays will be installed and lines will be relocated. The remaining infrastructure up to the transmission grid is not part of the scope of this resolution.

Sectoral reports, allegations, and appeal period

During the processing, technical conditions were received from the State Road Demarcation in Aragon and the Provincial Council of Teruel (Roads and Works), and responses without opposition from the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation, the General Directorate of Energy and Mines of the Government of Aragon, Red Eléctrica de España, and the General Directorate of Public Health of Aragon. The General Directorate of Cultural Heritage required new prospecting in the event of any modification to the affected areas and the communication of any possible remains during the works.

The General Directorate of Interior and Emergencies, INAGA, the Territorial Planning Council of Aragon (COTA), the general directorates of Urban Planning and Roads and Infrastructure, the Provincial Urban Planning Council of Teruel, the Provincial Service of Teruel (Energy Section), the Provincial Agrarian Chamber of Teruel, the City Council of Cañada Vellida, and the Comarca de Comunidad de Teruel did not respond, and their conformity is therefore understood.

The project underwent public consultation with publication on March 12, 2026, in the Official State Gazette and on March 13, 2026, in the Official Gazette of the Province of Teruel. Allegations were registered by the Ecología y Libertad Association, which were answered by the Industry and Energy Area Department of the Government Delegation in Teruel, which issued a report on May 4, 2026. An administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) may be filed against the resolution, which does not exhaust administrative remedies, before the Secretary of State for Energy within one month.

Ministerial approval makes Cañada Vellida one of the points in the province where existing photovoltaics gain storage support, a key piece for managing renewable production and feeding energy into the grid during peak demand hours; the schedule, however, remains conditional upon obtaining the operating authorization, with the maximum deadline of December 31, 2030, set by Royal Decree-Law 7/2026.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Teruel, no. 203, October 22, 2026, Official Bodies, pp. 2-11 (official reference: no. 2026-2974).