The Board authorizes Red Eléctrica to expand the Los Barrios substation

The Territorial Delegation of Economy, Finance and European Funds and of University, Industry, Energy and Innovation in Cádiz has granted Red Eléctrica de España, S.A.U. the prior administrative authorization and the administrative construction authorization to expand the Los Barrios electrical substation. The resolution, signed by the territorial delegate María Inmaculada Olivero Corral on October 20, 2026, is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz no. 218, dated November 12, 2026, under announcement number 376.510 and file number AT-16365/26.

The action seeks to provide “positions for new consumers” in the municipality of Los Barrios, where the installation and its surroundings are located. The procedure began with the document submitted on March 9, 2026, in which the company requested prior administrative authorization, construction authorization, and a declaration of public utility for a high-voltage electrical installation.

The project underwent public consultation through publication in the Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz no. 101, dated May 29, 2026, and for the same period on the Transparency Portal of the Junta de Andalucía, without any objections being filed. The Secretary of State for Energy of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge issued a favorable report on June 2, 2026.

From the AIS ring to the GIS double busbar

The core of the authorization is the reconfiguration of the substation’s 220 kV switchyard, which evolves from its current ring configuration with AIS technology to a GIS double busbar typology. The main characteristics of the new installation are:

• GIS technology, indoor shielded installation, and double busbar configuration.
• Nominal voltage of 220 kV and highest voltage of 245 kV, with a solidly grounded neutral.
• Seven equipped positions and three unequipped reserve positions.
• Circuit breakers of 3,150 amperes, 50 kA thermal limit current, SF6 quenching chamber, and single-pole operation.
• Busbar, line, isolation, and grounding disconnectors of 2,000 amperes and motorized triple-pole operation.
• Surge arresters of 10 kA nominal current and C6-1050 insulators with a creepage distance of 7,595 millimeters.
• Nominal frequency of 50 Hz in three-phase alternating current.

The operation is completed with two consumer positions and the modification of the Cañuelo – Los Barrios 1 220 kV single-circuit overhead line, which adds 0.205 kilometers of additional length to connect to the substation via the existing ducting.

Ten months of work and partial demolition

The conditions of the resolution set the expected execution period for the works at approximately ten months, which must be carried out in accordance with the submitted project and any variations that may be authorized. The partial demolition of the industrial warehouse that currently houses the 220 kV substation with AIS technology is planned, and the new building consists of two blocks: one for installations and equipment, with a basement for cable entry, and another for control with a command and control room, communications room, auxiliary services, restrooms, archives, and storage.

The holder must notify the Territorial Delegation of the completion of the works for final recognition and the extension of the operating authorization. Furthermore, they must coordinate the works with the consulted distribution and generation companies to avoid compromising the safety and service of other installations, respecting the regulatory distances for parallelism and crossing.

No environmental procedure and appeal before the counselor

The resolution rules out the need for an environmental procedure as the installation does not fall under the cases listed in Annex I of Law 2/2026, of March 12, on Environmental Management of Andalusia, and considers the project compatible with urban planning according to the report from the Urban Planning service of the Territorial Delegation of Development and Mobility in Cádiz. Among the consulted bodies are Generaciones Eléctricas de Andalucía, S.A., which issued conditions on July 3, 2026, and did not oppose after the holder’s response, and Endesa Generación, S.A., from which no response was recorded to the separate document sent on May 26, 2026.

Against the resolution, which does not end the administrative route, an administrative appeal (recurso de alzada) may be filed before the counselor of University, Industry, Energy and Innovation of the Junta de Andalucía within one month. The authorization is also notified to the Secretary of State for Energy and the National Commission on Markets and Competition.

The administrative approval comes after the evolution to a double busbar necessitates the adaptation of system operation procedures: the Pinar del Rey and Cañuelo positions and the Endesa Distribución Eléctrica transformers TRP1 and TRP2 must be connected to the new double busbar with new spans. The work thus reorganizes the electrical node of the area and clears the way to serve a new industrial demand in the Campo de Gibraltar, with a transport capacity of 568 MVA per circuit on the lines and 125 MVA in the connection with the distribution parks.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Cádiz, no. 218, November 12, 2026, section I (Junta de Andalucía), pp. 4-6 (official reference: announcement no. 376.510, file AT-16365/26).