Enerxía dismisses the Alto Cabrera wind farm and archives file PEol-382

The General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines has dismissed the request from Enel Green Power España, SL for the prior administrative authorization of the Alto Cabrera wind farm, with an installed capacity of 144 MW, and its evacuation infrastructure in the provinces of León and Ourense, agreeing to the archiving of file PEol-382. The resolution, signed on August 27, 2026, by the general director Manuel García Hernández, is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Ourense on October 8, 2026, in section II, General State Administration, under reference R. 2.281.

The decision is framed within article 53 of Law 24/2013, of December 26, of the electricity sector, and Royal Decree 1955/2000, of December 1, which regulates the authorization procedures for electrical energy installations. Competence corresponds to the General State Administration as it involves a production installation exceeding 50 MW and an evacuation infrastructure that exceeds the scope of a single autonomous community. The file was processed through the Dependency of the Industry and Energy Area of the Subdelegation of the Government of Pontevedra.

A 144 MW project between León and Ourense

Enel Green Power España, SL requested the prior administrative authorization for the park and its evacuation infrastructure on November 28, 2020. The request was admitted for processing on December 9, 2020, and transferred on December 15 of that year to the Industry and Energy Areas of the Subdelegations of the Government in León and Ourense.

The projected evacuation infrastructure included:

• 33 kV underground interconnection lines for the wind turbines.
• The SET Alto Cabrera 33/220 kV substation.
• The SET Alto Cabrera 33/20 kV substation.
• The 220 kV overhead line SET Alto Cabrera 33/220 kV – SE Santo Quereño 220 kV, owned by Rede Eléctrica de España, SAU.

The project affected the municipal terms of Encinedo, Benuza, Ponte de Domingo Flórez, and Castrocontrigo, in the province of León, and Carballeda de Valdeorras and Rubiá, in the province of Ourense.

The environmental assessment, axis of the rejection

On February 24, 2022, the files were sent to the Sub-directorate General of Environmental Assessment for the start of the ordinary environmental impact assessment. On April 12, 2022, the General Directorate of Quality and Environmental Assessment resolved to declare the non-admission for processing of the request to start the ordinary assessment, considering that the three causes provided for in paragraph 4 of article 39 of Law 21/2013, of December 9, on environmental assessment were present.

On May 19, 2022, the promoter filed an administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) before the Secretariat of State for the Environment of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. On May 8, 2026, due to the impossibility of developing the installation within the maximum deadlines set out in Article 1 of Royal Decree-Law 23/2020, of June 23, they withdrew said appeal.

Expiration of permits and withdrawal by the promoter

The project had obtained access and connection permits at the Santo Quereño 220 kV substation. On June 15, 2023, Rede Eléctrica de España, SAU notified the Ministry of the expiration of these permits on January 25, 2023, due to failure to meet milestone 2, regarding the obtaining of a favorable environmental impact statement. The communication to the promoter took place on March 15, 2023.

Regarding the hearing process, on April 26, 2022, the proposed resolution was notified, whereby the promoter would be considered to have withdrawn, with a ten-day period for allegations. On May 10, 2022, allegations were submitted and, on May 13, 2026, a written statement of agreement with the proposal. On July 6, 2026, the updated proposal for dismissal was notified, and no response was received within the period of fifteen business days.

Against the resolution, which does not end the administrative route, an administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) may be filed before the holder of the Secretariat of State for Energy within one month from the day following its publication in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado).

The archiving of file PEol-382 closes a process of nearly six years and represents the definitive collapse of one of the largest wind farms planned with an impact in eastern Ourense. For the municipalities of Carballeda de Valdeorras and Rubiá, the decision eliminates the uncertainty regarding the affected lands, while for the energy sector, it confirms the requirement to pass the environmental assessment and the milestones of Royal Decree-Law 23/2020 to keep grid connection permits active.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Ourense, no. 231, October 8, 2026, section II. General State Administration, p. 2,281 (official reference: R. 2,281).